Summer Wind
by AngelLucifel
Summary: One day a reckless blonde ninja accidentally goes and releases the horrible demon Kyuubi...but things don't go exactly as either of them planned or expected. Their story is written in the Summer Wind. yaoi warning I DO NOT OWN NARUTO. COMPLETE
1. Reckless

_Summer Wind  
__Chapter 1_

Naruto was a reckless and foolish boy. Always had been, always would be. But this day he was being particularly idiotic. He had been running an errand for Godaime which involved grabbing some old files from the backrooms, when he had come across a crumbling old scroll that had fallen behind one of the file cabinets. The label on the scroll had taken him a while to figure out, as it was faded and written in overly artistic hand writing, but he made out the words "dangerous" and "powerful" and as reckless as he was he stashed it in one of his inside pockets, grabbed the files he had been sent to fetch and hurried on his way. If _they_ had been so careless as to misplace it, it couldn't have been that important could it? So what did it matter if Naruto took it home for a few nights to give it a look over?

He hurried through the rest of his chores, moaning and whining every time Tsunade gave him another one. When she finally let him go, an unnecessarily long time later, he rushed home without making any of his usual pit stops, but once he reached home he managed to hold off his excitement for a quick dinner of cup ramen. There was always time for ramen.

After his meal, his tongue still burning from the rush with which he ate, he plopped onto his bed and pulled out the scroll. Fingers trembling with anticipation he broke the wax seal and pulled the scroll open, the long paper spanning the entire width of his bed. The writing was the same curling script as what was on the outside, but without any of the fading as the label. He struggled through the first lines, but as he grew accustomed to the old script he began to fall deeper into the reading, leaning forward unconsciously as the description and warnings of the jutsu pulled him in. Unfortunately, the warnings of anything deeper than the threat of death were too subtle and metaphoric for a mind such as Naruto's to understand, and a reckless mind is always willing to taunt death.

After reading the description and rules several times over Naruto was so entranced by the idea of performing such an amazing jutsu he had all but forgotten the cautions, and was so excited to try it he jumped immediately to work.

_I could really impress Ero-sennin and the Old Lady if I could pull this off… _he thought excitedly, as he bit his thumb and started making the symbols on his floor.

By the time he was done the signs covered most of his apartment's visible floor and he was feeling lightly faint from the blood loss. Smiling with pride at his work, Naruto stood in the middle of the spiraling design.

_This is so exciting…I wonder what'll happen!_

And without exploring that very idea of what might happen, Naruto went through the near-fifty hand symbols required, his fingers aching from the many twists they had to make, and then with a light sweat beading his forehead, he slammed his palm to the floor. Smoke filled the little apartment, and wind suddenly burst up from the seams of his floor and lashed violently, knocking Naruto off his feet and into his table, toppling it over.

Still being violently thrashed by the wind, Naruto suddenly felt his stomach cramping painfully, and the skin of it burned as though on fire. He clutched his stomach, doubling over in pain, finally wondering if maybe he should have heeded those warnings, clenching his teeth so hard they almost cracked, his nails ripping his clothing as he clutched them. It lasted an eternity of a few minutes, and then the wind and burning faded, leaving him panting on the floor, sweat and tears falling down his face. Forcing himself onto his hands and knees he crawled weakly to his bed and collapsed on it before he could see what else had faded.

* * *

**So, that's my little teaser prologue. (though, thanks to story summaries you probably already know where this is going...) This story will be updating weekly for twenty three weeks. Expect much romance, drama, angst and humor to come. I thank you for your interest, and in advance for any reviews you see fit to give me.**

**Angel Lucifel**


	2. Released

_Summer Wind  
__Chapter 2_

He awoke again the next morning, wondering if the night had been no more than a nightmare, for there was no sign of the marks on the floor, and the table was upright with all its things placed upon it again. It was a relief, as he decided that must be the case and curled back under the blankets. He lay half-asleep in bed, seeing the sunlight through his eyelids, the sheets warming under it, and the sound of water running through the pipes to the shower echoing in the walls.

_Wait a minute…who's in my shower?_

Naruto sat up quickly, just as the water turned off. He paused, worried now, not sure who or what he was expecting, but he had the horrible suspicion that it wasn't good. The door opened, letting out a billow of steam, and Naruto gulped. The next few moments went by slowly, as Naruto's fingers became icy cold, and he couldn't breathe, the air was too thick and his throat was too dry.

Whatever he was expecting, it wasn't for a tall, muscular man with fiery red hair and topaz eyes to walk into his room wearing only a towel around his waist, and to go into his refrigerator to take a drink of his milk, straight from the carton. Naruto watched him drink half the carton, his mouth hanging open, temples twitching with confusion. As the man continued walking around the room, making himself at home as he took Naruto's last two eggs out of the fridge and ate them, raw, Naruto's sense slowly returned to him.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" He asked.

The man paused, and looked over and raised his flared eyebrows. "Don't you recognize me, kit?"

Naruto scowled at the man, eyebrows knitting together. "No…I've never seen you before in my life! Get out of my apartment!"

"It's my apartment too. I've lived here just as long as you."

"No you haven't! I've lived alone my entire life!"

"Not quite, kit…"

Naruto paused again, and then his eyes widened in shock, his mouth dropping again. The man smirked in satisfaction.

"You're a STALKER!" Naruto cried, pointing an accusing finger at him.

The man's expression changed instantly, turning to a numb look of shock and disbelief.

"Are you really that dense?" He said through his teeth.

"What are you talking about? I figured you out! I'm going to go get Tsunade and she'll kick your ass!"

Naruto started rushing for the door, but the stranger caught him by the waist, holding him in place as he thrashed and yelled.

"Can't you beat me up yourself, kit?"

"Let go of me you bastard! LET ME GO!"

The man rolled his eyes and then threw Naruto back to his bed, making him slam into the windowsill and fall to his bed in heap.

"Now sit down and shut up, chibi."

Naruto sat up again, his energy hardly quelled. "I am not a chibi!"

The man took several quick steps forward, suddenly leaning over Naruto, yellow eyes glaring at him with a sudden fiery rage that made Naruto quiver underneath him.

"Listen, kit, I have a very short temper and all your hysterics are pushing me to the edge. You're going to sit there and do as I say without squeaking a single word unless I say you can, understand?"

"Can…can you at least put some clothes on?" Naruto whimpered.

He raised his eyebrows, and then chuckled softly, shaking his head and leaning back. "None of your clothes fit me kit. That's your first errand."

Naruto wrinkled his nose. "Errand?"

"Yes. You're the one who summoned me out. Now you're going to have to accommodate me."

Naruto folded his arms, and scowled at his sheets. The click was almost audible as he finally fit the pieces together.

"You're KYUUBI!"

The fiery man stared at him blankly for a moment. "Did you _seriously_ just now figure that out?"

"Well _you_ didn't tell me!"

Kyuubi stared at him a moment longer, growling softly as he tried to control his frustration. There was a long minute of awkward silence, as Kyuubi seemed to be resisting the urge to do something rather painful, and Naruto sat halfway between a torrent of questions and trying to disappear.

"Why aren't you a fox?" Naruto asked, eventually.

Kyuubi made another soft growl. "Unfortunately, you aren't very good at jutsu; you botched it up a little, I can't take that form with only a third of my power."

"Oh…" He never imagined he'd be glad for his incompetence.

"At any rate, if I'm going to live in your little world I'm going to need certain accommodations. The first of which is clothing."

"But why do I have to go on errands for you?"

Kyuubi smirked, and Naruto quavered. "I already explained it, kit. It's your fault I'm here, and I can't very well have the whole village knowing I'm here."

Naruto scowled. "But—"

"Kit, do not argue with me. You're lucky I'm not going on a rampage as we speak. The _only_ reason I'm not is because at this level of power if Tsunade and that old pervert got together they could easily beat me, and the minimal damage I would cause wouldn't be worth it."

"That doesn't mean I have to be your servant!"

"Kit…you'd be the first person I'd kill."

Naruto gulped. "W-what should I get?"

"Something black, something in-style…Definitely not an orange jumpsuit."

He felt slightly offended but only muttered; "Ok…"

"Well, _go_, kit."

Naruto nodded and, without getting dressed or cleaned, his damaged clothing hanging on him rumpled and dirty, headed out on the mission Kyuubi had set for him…more pathetic a job than any d-rank mission he had endured during his first years as a genin.

Naruto made it down the hallway and staircase before he collapsed to his knees, head spinning nearly as fast as his stomach as everything that had happened caught up with him. Kyuubi was out…he had to tell someone but…then he would be killed. Not to mention he'd have to admit to his own foolishness, which was bad enough when it only amounted to a lost pet, or damaged building. Something of this magnitude…there would be major punishment and never-ending ridicule. As it was…well, Kyuubi didn't seem like he was out to hurt anyone. And really, if he wasn't going to hurt anyone, what was wrong with just letting him sit around? He wasn't at full power…and if there _were_ any way to get his full power out he would have done it. So really, there wasn't any immediate danger and if anything did seem to be getting unsafe he had plenty of people he could turn to.

Catching his breath, he got back to his feet and, trying to maintain a normal composure, he went on his way.


	3. Errands

_Summer Wind  
__Chapter 3_

"Not bad, kit."

Kyuubi stood in front of the bathroom mirror, examining the outfit Naruto had brought him with a thoughtful scowl on his face..

"They're a little scruffy but with your income I'm not surprised. The pants are a little tight though…" Kyuubi brushed some lint off the black pants that were indeed slightly tight…especially around certain lower parts… "Ah well, I don't think many people will mind." He smirked.

Naruto tried not to look, feeling embarrassed about the obvious and significant difference between them in those regions. The vest he brought had also been a little tight in the shoulders originally but Kyuubi fixed that by ripping the armholes so they were larger and provided more mobility—the vest had sagged around Naruto's shoulders when he tried it on. He felt incredibly pathetic. He scowled at the dirty bathroom floor, as Kyuubi slicked his messy auburn hair back out of his sharp-featured face.

"So, kit, let's get on with the next thing shall we?"

"W-what's next?" Naruto asked, hesitantly.

Kyuubi smiled, showing his white, narrow, perfectly and deadly aligned teeth. "Food."

- - -

There was possibly nothing more awkward than walking to and through the grocery store with someone like Kyuubi. He was nearly seven feet tall, powerfully built, with his sharp, handsome face catching the awed glances of women and jealous glares of those same women's husbands, and disturbingly often, looks of similar lust followed those glares. The worst moment was when Hyuuga Hinata failed to even notice Naruto because she was so enraptured with the demon-turned-human, she stopped dead still by the basket of peaches with her jaw knocking against her knees. Naruto wanted to snap at her for it, but thought better of showing off being with Kyuubi; it was actually a lucky thing no one noticed the gawky blonde hidden behind Kyuubi's imposing figure, the inevitable questions would have been incredibly difficult to answer. Still, it was irksome to be stuck with yet another man who stole all the attention, Kyuubi was even more annoying than Sasuke had been. The only sign that Kyuubi noticed all the attention was a satisfied smirk that lifted one side of his slender mouth.

For food Kyuubi grabbed a good dozen raw steaks, two cartons of eggs, and large case of sakè. Naruto gulped and slowly looked through his wallet, hoping he would somehow have enough money for it.

Just as Kyuubi finished arguing with the cashier about his lack of an ID for the sakè Naruto saw Umino Iruka, his long-time friend and teacher, get in line behind him. Glad to have the imposing and attention-catching Kyuubi between them, Naruto kept his head down, trying for once in his life not to draw attention to himself. He paid quickly, finding just enough money once he picked a few coins out of his pocket, bringing more objections from the cashier, and rushed out of the store. Kyuubi watched him with amusement as his former vessel glanced around nervously for anyone else who might have been watching.

"What are you so nervous for, kit? They won't know who I am…just because you don't have any friends would give them no reason to suspect—"

"I do too have friends!" Naruto yelled, suddenly spinning around to face him.

"Right…I'm sure you do."

"I do! Sakura-chan's my friend! Sasuke…_was_ my friend!"

"Kit, and Sasuke ran away from you and Sakura is your friend out of pity."

"...Kiba likes me."

"Well Kiba is almost as dull-witted as you."

"Well…yeah…"

"But then again I suppose that's something you can have in common."

"I hate you!"

Naruto turned away from Kyuubi and stalked ahead of him down the street, grumbling under his breath and trying to keep some dignity. Kyuubi followed behind him, taking in Konoha, chuckling softly.

- - -

Naruto dumped Kyuubi's groceries into the fridge and before the demon could request anything else he stomped into the bathroom, locked the door, and prepared a bath. When the almost-steaming water was within an inch of the top Naruto turned off the faucet and slipped in, the warm water doing little to relax his tense muscles. He could hear Kyuubi shuffling around in his apartment, eating one of the steaks without turning on the stove, and opening the window. Naruto sunk down so that only his nose and eyes stuck out of the water, trying not to think about his new room-mate…but after five minutes he could no longer sit still, too bothered by his new predicament. Standing up quickly, he pulled the plug out of his bath. He was in too much of a rush, though, and as he tried to get out he slipped on a puddle of spilled water and smacked his shin on the edge of the tub. He rolled onto the floor, crying out in pain and then groaning as he cradled his heavily bleeding shin.

The door rattled; there was a pause and then Kyuubi called in; "Are you dying in there, kit?"

"N-no…" Naruto moaned. He checked his leg, the wound was bad. "Actually…I think I should get Sakura to come fix this…"

"You can't. No one can know I'm here."

"But…can't you just hide?"

"I'd have to go get her wouldn't I? Let me in, kit."

"Nooo…"

Kyuubi sighed audibly and then there was a crash as he knocked the door in.

"My door!" Naruto cried, and then blushed and removed one hand from his leg to grab his towel.

Kyuubi shrugged. "You should have let me in…oh damn, that's quite a bit of blood."

Naruto just glowered at him, holding his wounded leg defensively and trying to keep the towel over his lap. Kyuubi rolled his eyes and walked over to him, moving as if to pick him up.

"No!" Naruto snapped. "I can stand on my own…"

Kyuubi backed up a bit. "Go ahead."

Naruto scowled and shakily took his hands off his leg to support himself as he tried to climb to his feet. But as soon as he applied weight to his wounded leg he yowled in pain and sunk back to the floor. Kyuubi shook his head and despite Naruto's continued protests, scooped the young blonde into his lean arms and carried him out of the bathroom as he squirmed to try and free himself and keep himself covered at the same time. Kyuubi carried him to the bed where he unceremoniously dropped the young boy onto it and then proceeded to grab the first-aid kit out of Naruto's pouch of medical supplies.

Naruto continued muttering under his breath about how unnecessary this was, that he could do it himself, but Kyuubi ignored him as he went back to the bathroom for a moment to grab a bottle of peroxide. As he approached Naruto again, pouring the cleansing liquid onto a washcloth, Naruto attempted to grab the supplies from him but he held them out of they way. Naruto continued scrambling away, refusing to let him clean the wound, and finally Kyuubi resorting to using a couple pillowcases to tie his hands to the bed post and sat on his right leg as he cleaned the left, thereby effectively immobilizing him.

Naruto calmed when he saw that he could no longer do anything to keep Kyuubi from going about the work, and resigned himself to glaring at Kyuubi as he wiped the blood of his leg and dripped peroxide onto the wound.

"Don't you demons usually drink blood or something?" Naruto asked.

Kyuubi glanced up at him for only a moment. "I would usually clean the wound as I do my own…but I thought you'd prefer this way."

Naruto shivered as a breeze from the window blew over his still-damp almost-naked body. "Why do you care about how I'd prefer it?"

Kyuubi held some gauze over the wound as he pulled out stitching thread and a needle. "I'm not fixing your wound to make you uncomfortable, kit." He threaded the needle.

Naruto winced as the needle pierced skin. "H-hey do you know what you're doing?"

"Yes."

Naruto bit his lip, whimpering softly as Kyuubi began sewing up the wound. He eventually became dull to the pain, and upon becoming slightly relaxed again he asked; "So why ARE you taking care of me?"

Kyuubi remained silent, eyes focused on his work, fingers moving with surprising deftness as he guided the needle on its sealing path. When he had finished, eleven stitches later, he bit the thread from the needle and tied it off. He then got off of Naruto's leg and untied him, letting him sit up and inspect the work. He was impressed. They were as neat and strong as any stitches Sakura had ever given him.

"I don't think you did any damaged to the bone." Kyuubi said. "Which almost surprises me with your luck and inaptitude."

Naruto glowered at Kyuubi's back as he went back into the bathroom, presumably to clean what mess Naruto had left on the floor, and then carefully shuffled his way over to his dresser to get dressed.


	4. Strange Discussions

_Summer Wind  
Chapter Four_

"Anosa…Kakashi-sensei…"

Naruto had stumbled across the jonin on his way to get some ramen from Ichiraku, wincing every step from his wounded leg but desperate to get out of his suddenly insane house, which he had managed to sneak out of as Kyuubi lingered in the bathroom, and he had invited his sensei along for sole purpose of this conversation.

"Yes, Naruto?"

"Umm…what do you know about demons?"

Kakashi raised his narrow eyebrows. "You mean like the types and their powers and that sort of thing?"

"Well…no…more like…what they do…normally."

Kakashi's single showing eyebrow rose slightly. "Normally?"

"Like, do they ever have families, or…or has any demon ever spent time with humans?" Naruto tried his absolute best to make the utterly ridiculous conversation sound as though it had come up out of the blue and held no meaning to his current life. He was lucky it was not unusual for him to do such things.

Kakashi blinked slowly in confusion a few more times, and then stared thoughtfully at the counter (which was empty as he hadn't ordered anything to eat), sinking back into his vast memory before answering slowly.

"Well…there are stories from way back in olden times, about when there were more demons around and they would take human shape in order to take human lovers. In those old stories the demons would spend much of their lives mingling with humans and living almost human lives…but there are dozens of variations on the stories. The only thing they agree on is that demons used to take human lovers…"

Naruto scowled at his ramen bowl. "Do you know how they picked their…lovers…?"

Kakashi shrugged. "Not really. I'm sure their preferences varied." He paused again. "It's all just old-people rattling on about stories that the great-great-grandparent of their great-great-grandparent told them anyway. Why?"

"Oh…no reason…I was just thinking about demons and stuff…"

Kakashi nodded slowly but continued watching Naruto curiously. He wasn't eating very much…a sure sign that something was wrong. He pondered over it for some time, but in the end his lazy mind got distracted by the upcoming release of the latest Icha-Icha paradise book.

- - -

Naruto walked home slowly, scowling at how little help Kakashi had given him. But then, what had he been after exactly? He had hoped his teacher would have some random kernel of knowledge that would lead him on a path to get rid of Kyuubi…but alas, things weren't always as simple as Naruto would have liked, it was so frustrating the way things always managed to make him push his mind out of its fundamental boundaries.

He sucked in his breath, through his teeth as he pulled at the fragile stitching in his leg. He leaned against a fence for a moment, waiting for the pain to calm. As he stood biting back the urge to curse loudly, there was suddenly a tall figure behind him.

"What are you doing out here, kit? Don't you know you should stay off that leg of yours?"

Naruto turned quickly to glare at Kyuubi, putting his foot back down and ignoring the sharp sensation of flesh pulling against thread.

"I'm fine." He said, puffing up his chest.

"Sure you are…"

Without further argument, much less a discussion or warning, Kyuubi bundled Naruto up into his arms, the boy squirming and protesting just as before, and carried him the few blocks back home, the stronger man chuckling the whole way.

- - -

When they arrived home Kyuubi threw him back on the bed, commanded him lie still and then sat on the edge of the bed and pushed Naruto's pants up so he could inspect any damage Naruto might have done to himself. Naruto obliged to the demand, but made sure Kyuubi could see him glaring at him.

"You broke one of the stitches." Kyuubi said chidingly.

"Well…I couldn't stand being here with you…"

Kyuubi raised an eyebrow. "What have I done beside stitch up your leg for you?"

"Made me spend all my money on your clothes and food!"

"You're the idiot who summoned me."

"Well…well…then as your summoner you should be listening to me!"

Kyuubi ripped out another of the stitches.

"OWW! What the hell?"

Kyuubi was facing away from Naruto, face obscured by his mess of amber hair. "You should never question my authority kit…"

Naruto gulped and fell silent, and Kyuubi re-stitched the two broken stitches. Kyuubi cleaned the needle and his hands then pulled a futon off the top shelf of the closet. Naruto sat watching him with his knees curled to his chest. It was a terrifying thing to have Kyuubi in his house…and yet, as his fingers felt over the work Kyuubi had done on his leg, he embarrassedly thought that having Kyuubi around had actually been fairly convenient not to mention a little thrilling in its strangeness.

"Well?" Kyuubi said. "Get off the bed."

"What?"

"You think I'm sleeping on the futon?" He chuckled softly. "Get down."

"I'm not going down for you!"

Kyuubi bit back a smirk, resulting in a half-smile with part of his lower lip between his teeth…and there was something disturbingly…well never mind what it was.

"I wasn't asking you to do that…" Kyuubi said.

Naruto blushed furiously. "Whatever." He muttered and, refusing to look at Kyuubi's face, he slipped off the bed and onto the futon, burrowing under the covers, hoping to go to sleep and either wake up to find out it was all a dream or never wake again.


	5. First Night

_Summer Wind  
__Chapter 5_

Kyuubi did not sleep. He only had to sleep every few years without rest, and he had been doing nothing but rest for the last sixteen. He lay awake in the darkness, staring at Naruto's ceiling, golden eyes shining of their own accord.

His sharp mind flitted over his new, strange situation. His main consciousness was free of Naruto, but he was only at a third of his normal strength, sixty-six percent of his chakra was still trapped inside the boy, and there was no way to extract it unless he got Naruto to perform the un-sealing jutsu again and release the last of it…He scoffed softly and immediately forgot that plan of action. Naruto would never be that stupid.

Killing the boy would do no good…with most of his chakra still inside Naruto he could not do him any harm. Not just that he would loose the chakra, but he literally could not harm the boy unless completely removed from him. Not that Naruto needed to know that.

And truly, at that moment, all he cared about was the fact that for the first time in years he was on the outside of that boy's body. All he wanted was to make that last as long as possible…so the only thing to do was set up as comfortable a life as he could in the current situation, and make the most of it. And, also, unfortunately, keep Naruto feeling comfortable and safe enough not to go snitching to one of those bothersome old ninja. And though he had intended to be much rougher with Naruto, he had found that he was enjoying himself far too much by just being able stretch his legs.

_What a very un-demonic outlook…I really have been in that child too long._

He rolled his eyes at himself and shook his head, sitting up in the bed. He didn't even like beds. He had taken it only as a status symbol. What was he lying around like an idiot for anyway? He did not need sleep, why should he feign it just because he currently lived in a world that did? Thinking now that perhaps he would wake Naruto and force him to go to the forest with him for some late-night roaming—for that was another horrible side effect, he could not be far from Naruto for any extended period of time—but just as he swung his feet over the side of the bed, about to unceremoniously kick his former vessel awake, he paused.

Naruto lay sleeping in the fetal position, only his childish face showing through a frame of thick blankets and pillows, his sunny hair all mussed. Kyuubi stared down at his face for some time, until the blonde grumbled in his sleep and turned to face the other way, sprawling onto his stomach. Even in the presence of the grand Kyuubi, who he didn't know could not kill him, the boy managed to sleep soundly.

Kyuubi turned onto his back again, stretching out on the old bed.

Naruto slept through the night.

**Sorry, I know it's short. But it picks up from here...I'm pretty sure...heh. Thanks for reading thus far.**


	6. Awkward Moments

_Summer Wind  
__Chapter 6_

Naruto awoke the next morning again to the sound of Kyuubi in the shower. He moaned and dropped his face into his pillow, trying to block out the evidence that everything from the day before had, indeed, happened.

_Since when do demons keep so damn clean?_

The shower ended a few moments later. Naruto kept his face in the pillow as he heard Kyuubi walk into the room and waited like that until he heard Kyuubi pull on his pants, zip them and adjust them around his hips to give himself enough room. The mental images brought about by the sound of leather against still-damp skin sent shivers down Naruto's spine. Naruto raised his head when he assumed it safe, but still blushed in embarrassment to see the incredibly tall and shirtless Kyuubi meandering about his apartment.

"Can't you wear a shirt?" Naruto grumbled, sitting up drowsily.

Kyuubi grinned. "Making you feel inferior am I?"

"No…"

"You shouldn't feel insignificant. I'm only…what…twice your height?"

"Shut up!"

Kyuubi grabbed a bottle of sakè and sipped from it. "Yeah, yeah…"

"Isn't it a little early?" Naruto asked, scowling at the sake.

"Demons don't get drunk very easily."

"Still…"

"It's not early." Kyuubi took a larger swig. "Hurry and do whatever it is you need to do and then we'll head out."

"…To do what?"

"Your next errand."

Naruto shrunk down defensively. Kyuubi sounded sneaky… "What's that?"

The smirk that spread Kyuubi's lips was one of the most unnerving things Naruto had ever seen.

"To find me a lover."

Naruto paused, twitched, and his jaw dropped. "WHAT?"

Kyuubi raised an eyebrow. "Come on, kit, surely you're not so naïve? If I'm going to be living here I need everything I would have in a usual situation that will keep me happy and satisfied…unless you don't value your life."

"N-no…it's cool. We'll find you a woman."

Kyuubi shrugged. "Or a boy."

Naruto twitched again. "W-what?"

Kyuubi's eyebrows raised another half-inch. "I like both."

Naruto scooted back further, hoping the wall behind him would miraculously become an escape path. "Y-you do?"

"I just said so didn't I?"

"Like…like young boys?"

"I was considering Shikamaru, yes."

Naruto's expression was so ridiculously shocked, horrified and disgusted that even Kyuubi chuckled at it. Naruto wanted nothing more than to get a closed door between them, but going to the bathroom would have involved passing Kyuubi.

"Oh calm down, I haven't had a lover in quite some time. I'm looking for a woman first. Besides, you're in no danger, I prefer an _intelligent _lover."

"Hey! I'm intelligent!"

Kyuubi smirked. "Oh are you now?" He took a step towards Naruto. "Well then—"

"No! NO! I'm not! I'm dumber than a brick! Dumber that dirt! Dumber than Kiba!"

Out of desperation Naruto scrunched up the courage to go near Kyuubi and rushed past him and locked himself in the bathroom, his panting audible through the door. The fox demon had to lean on the counter to keep from collapsing in laughter.

- - -

"So…what are you looking for exactly?" Naruto asked as they walked down the street, the whole world staring at Kyuubi. He had calmed down in not too much time, and come out acting as though his composure had never broken.

Kyuubi glanced at one woman for a half-second but quickly scowled and turned away.

"In a woman," he said, "I want someone mature and feminine, and confident in herself. A little challenge might be fun. In a boy…"

He looked over Neji as he walked past and Naruto prayed desperately for Kyuubi to just let him walk on by…a few moments later and Neji was around the corner (after knocking into it because he was busy staring over his shoulder at Kyuubi).

"In a boy," Kyuubi continued, "I want someone to dominate and control. Someone who would let me tear them apart, but who would only let _me _go so far. I want to take someone that is on top of everyone else and hit him so hard he can't even breathe—"

"That's enough already!" Naruto yowled, covering his ears. "Geez, why does it seem disturbingly like you put a hell of a lot more thought into your boy lovers?"

"I don't. I just thought you'd enjoy the details."

"I hate you."

"I already knew that."

Naruto and he walked around town for the rest of the morning, and come noon-time they finally rested on a bench at the edge of a park, because Naruto was bored of walking, and Kyuubi was in a good enough mood to humor him. By now, the disgust at the idea of getting Kyuubi a lover had faded in wake of the far more pressing matter of how very tedious an ordeal it had turned out to be.

"How picky can you be?" Naruto moaned. "You just want someone to do right?"

"I told you I have standards."

"What about Kurenai-sensei?"

"Sexy, confident, feminine…but mated."

"Mated?"

"Married." Kyuubi said, waving a hand dismissively.

"Oh…really?"

"Yep."

"I didn't know that… Well…what about Anko-san?"

"No respect for her body, and I'm not in the mood to go through the work of changing another lesbian."

Naruto leaned away from Kyuubi. "She's lesbian?"

Kyuubi nodded and tapped the bridge of his nose. "I could smell it on her."

"Creepy. Well, are you dead-set on a woman right now?"

"Either or, it looks like I can't be _that _picky…"

"…What about Lee-kun?"

"Oh _god_ no."

"Neji-kun?"

"He's on the bottom too much; there'd be no fun in it."

"How do you know that?"

"I can just _tell, _kit."

Naruto shivered. "Ino-chan?"

"I don't like young girls."

"Kiba?"

"Too dumb."

"Shino-kun?"

There was a pause, which made Naruto suddenly very afraid that he had sold Shino to a horrible fate.

"K-Kyuubi…?"

"Well…" Kyuubi finally said, "If it wasn't for those bugs I might consider him."

Naruto sighed in relief. "Choji-kun?"

Kyuubi just stared at Naruto incredulously at that one.

"Shizune-san?"

Kyuubi shook his head, and asked with a small, sarcastic chuckle; "Are you _trying _to sell your friends to the devil?"

"No, I'm just trying to make sure you don't want any of them…oh! What about Ibiki-sensei? He's _definitely _in charge…and I don't like him very much…"

"If only he weren't so old…"

Naruto slapped his hand on his forehead and moaned loudly. "Dammit Kyuubi! Just pick someone!"

"It's not that easy."

"Well I'm hungry and tired and I'm trying not to let this freak me out!"

"You can go get some lunch…"

"No I can't! I don't have any _money _left!"

"Oh…."

"_Yeah_." He paused, "Well…I have a tab going at Ichiraku…"

"Let's go there then, I can stand your food this once."

"Hey, hey, I thought I'd be getting this on my _own._"

"I'm hungry too." It was a lie. Kyuubi was merely flexing his control over the boy.

Naruto really hated how very little arguing did against Kyuubi. It was a frustrating reminder of far too many past relationships.

They got off the bench and walked down the dusty streets, weaving between the constantly thickening traffic. Kyuubi and Naruto knew the way equally well, so neither led the other. They separated and rejoined through the crowd without another thought…well, besides the occasional idea to run away hosted by Naruto's reeling brain. When they arrived at Ichiraku they were lucky enough that a young couple (both members of which stopped to stare at Kyuubi) was just then leaving and they could take their seats.

Naruto got his usual meal, explaining with a laugh that he would need to put this on his ever-growing tab, and the man just laughed with him and shook his head before taking Kyuubi's order of 'pork ramen…keep the meat as rare as possible'.

Naruto and Kyuubi sat in silence, Naruto watching Kyuubi through corner of his eye, Kyuubi staring idly at the counter. Naruto shifted to the farther edge of his seat, Kyuubi didn't move at all.

Their food arrived and Naruto clapped his hands, murmured 'itadakimasu' and started gobbling the noodles down. Kyuubi wrinkled his nose as he stirred the dish, looking at the food as if it might be about to jump up and attack him.

"It's not a painting, Kyuubi; it's for eating not looking."

"Don't try to be witty, kit." Kyuubi grumbled, and took a mouthful of the noodles.

He chewed and swallowed with the same unsure expression on his face; then he paused and seemed to ponder the experience, before saying finally;

"I prefer things raw but…it's alright."

Naruto smiled and continued eating, while Kyuubi picked out a piece of meat and chewed it thoughtfully, staring at a decorative scroll on one of the walls.

"What're you thinking about?" Naruto asked in suspicion, chewing the last of his meal,

"Nothing…"

"Mad that you can't find someone to screw?"

Kyuubi looked back over at Naruto, he seemed about to snap something at him again, but instead he just said quietly; "No. I'll find one. I'm not surprised that most of you don't meet my standards."

"Hey! Konoha has the best ninja around! Including me!"

Kyuubi smirked. "So…you're saying you meet my standards?"

"I'm the best there is!"

"Well then…" Kyuubi leaned in towards Naruto. "What are we doing looking around out here?"

Naruto yelped and tried to push Kyuubi away. Kyuubi backed up of his own accord, snickering to himself again. Naruto scooted away until he was almost falling off the edge of the stool, and ordered another bowl.

"Oh, don't worry kit. I don't like blondes. Nor do I like particularly dumb, hyper kids."

Naruto glowered at the counter. "Whatever."

Naruto continued glaring down at the counter, mentally tracing patterns in the wood grain, and Kyuubi watched him, yellow eyes fixed on his face. Kyuubi's gaze was always such an intense one, of course Naruto noticed it, but he was too intimidated to meet it. He got his second dish, and tried to eat it just as usual, even with Kyuubi staring at him.

As he took his second bite Kyuubi stood and walked off, as if suddenly offended. Naruto finally looked up, watching the bottom of Kyuubi's jacket flip around the corner.

"What the hell…?"

He looked after Kyuubi in confusion, but decided to simply be thankful for the chance to eat in peace.

- - -

Naruto walked back into his apartment to find Kyuubi sitting on his bed, scowling at the window as if the day had greatly offended him.

"What'd you run off for earlier?" Naruto asked, kicking his shoes off.

Kyuubi shrugged but kept looking out the window. "I got bored of sitting around there."

"So you decided to sit around here?"

"What do you care where I decide to sit?"

Naruto took a confused step back, not understanding where Kyuubi's sudden frustration had come from, but he said no more, since Kyuubi seemed entirely against conversation, and went into the bathroom. Kyuubi's sudden silence was at once refreshing and worrisome. It was a relief not to worry about Kyuubi's snide comments, but what Kyuubi might be thinking about in the silence was a topic far more frightening.

When he left the bathroom he got a call from Kiba, asking if he wanted to come do some evening training with him and Hinata (at which Naruto heard squeals of protest in the background) and he agreed and said he'd be there shortly. He glanced up and over at Kyuubi, who had not moved since he arrived home.

"Anosa…I'm going to go hang out with some friends. I'll be back later."

Kyuubi said nothing, didn't even look at him, and Naruto pulled on his shoes and quickly left. Only then did Kyuubi relax.

* * *

**So, still not too much plot happening here. But hey, who can get tired of good old Kyuubi/Naru fluff, eh? It's a little early too, yay. **


	7. Second Night

_Summer Wind  
Chapter 7_

Naruto arrived home late, and Kyuubi was still in bed, lying with his eyes closed, though Naruto doubted that the demon really slept. Trying to be as silent as possible so as not to disturb Kyuubi's rest and possibly wake his wrath, he crawled into the futon and fell quickly asleep.

Kyuubi sighed softly, the aching inside him finally ebbing now that Naruto was near again. Naruto had been gone for nearly five hours. By the third hour Kyuubi had gained a slight headache, enough to bother him, but not enough to really be painful. Within the next half hour it had turned into a horrid migraine, and Kyuubi felt slightly nauseas. He began to become worried at this point, but saw little he could do as human medicine would have little effect, and possibly poison him. Fifteen minutes later he was sweating and shaking on the bathroom floor, and he had to vomit into the toilet. He spent the next forty five minutes like this, growing progressively worse, until his stomach had no more to purge and merely contracted painfully, and his shaking was so violent he knocked his head against the cabinet.

Only in the last ten minutes had his health improved, as Naruto drew near again. He quickly cleaned up and then fell into the bed, exhausted from being away from more than half his chakra.

He rubbed his forehead, getting rid of the last of the sweat and trying to ease away the still-lingering headache.

He was tired. He hadn't been tired some time…a long, long time…and those several hours had exhausted him completely.

_I'm doomed to be tied to this boy forever…_

Kyuubi had the distinct impression he should have been more upset by that.

* * *

**Hey! Surprise update because it's so very short. Poor Kyuubi. Oh, and lovely sense of what's to come, isn't it?**


	8. Education

_Summer Wind  
__Chapter 8_

The next day they continued the search, but quit by lunchtime, as Kyuubi in frustration said 'fuck it' and headed home with his shoulders slouched and face scowling in disappointment. As they walked home Hinata passed them, and Naruto walked close to Kyuubi, blushing and hoping his distraction tactic would work. It did, perfectly, and Hinata hurried past, her face a bright shade of scarlet.

"And what were you hiding about kit?" Kyuubi asked, chuckling, his mood seeming to improve instantly at Naruto's awkwardness.

"It's…it's embarrassing."

"Why do you think I asked?"

"She…last night she…ano…she kind of told me she likes me."

Kyuubi raised his eyebrows, amused. "Really? And?"

"Well, she's cute and nice and sweet and stuff but…but I've kinda always been waiting on Sakura y'know?"

Kyuubi rolled his eyes as they walked in the main door of the apartment building. "Yes, I know. Kit, trust me, she's not coming to you anytime soon. Do you like Hinata?"

Naruto frowned as he unlocked his apartment. "I dunno…"

"God, you humans."

Naruto kicked off his shoes. "Hey, just because you've never liked anyone—"

Kyuubi suddenly reeled on Naruto, cornering the boy against his entryway wall. Naruto shrunk down, whimpering under Kyuubi's fiery gaze, confused and terrified as Kyuubi glared down at him.

"Kit, if it weren't for the fact that you can't help your ignorance I would tear your throat out right now." Naruto gulped. "We're going to have a little enlightenment session, sound all right?" Naruto nodded mutely.

Kyuubi dragged Naruto over to the bed by the front of his jumpsuit and pushed him onto it, sitting across from him, glaring all the while, giving Naruto no moment for relief. The blonde righted himself after tumbling across the mattress and sat with his shoulders hunched defensively, his expression apologetic in the hopes Kyuubi might take pity on him. Kyuubi's anger however, slacked not, and his voice out low and rough, full of forced-down wrath.

"Demons do not ever 'like'," He started, "we lust and we love. The difference between you and us is that we can easily and always tell the difference. We can care about those we lust after, we often do, think of it as 'friends with benefits'. We have however many lovers we want until we find a mate, who is the one and only person we will ever love. Because _we_ know that there is only one person in the world meant for that status, and we, unlike you simple-minded indecisive humans, actually know who that person is when they show up."

Kyuubi finished and looked at Naruto expectantly. The rant seemed to have released most of his rage, as his gaze was significantly less angry, though not lacking the offended sheen from before. Naruto stared at him blankly, blinked a couple times and asked;

"So, is it, like, always love at first sight for demons?" He asked.

Kyuubi looked at Naruto in dull surprise before saying slowly. "Of course not. Love comes gradually, but the point is that when it finally sets in we can actually realize it's the real thing…is that really all you have to say?"

"…Why? What else should I say?"

Kyuubi shook his head. "Never mind."

"Why'd you get so touchy about it?"

"Ignorance bothers me."

"I'm so sorry I don't know all about demon mating habits." Naruto muttered.

Kyuubi sighed. "Only you can wear me out so much I can no longer take offense."

Kyuubi then got off the bed and went to the fridge to get food, pulling out a steak and devouring it hungrily as Naruto made ramen. Then Kyuubi sat on the bed again, and Naruto sat on the futon with the bed as a backrest. The mood was calm again, and Naruto seemed to have entirely forgotten the fact that the demon just above him had been glowering at him with blood-thirst a few moments before; and he devoured his ramen happily.

"You really need some more seating in here…" Kyuubi said looking around the sparse apartment.

"Well, it _was_ just me, originally."

"Not really."

"Right, 'cause I definitely though I should get extra chairs in case the demon sealed inside me ever happened to get out and might need a place to sit."

Kyuubi chuckled. "I guess no one ever really expected your idiocy to go that far."

Naruto had no reply; he merely stuffed his mouth with ramen and glared at his knees. They ate in silence for a while, staring at their respective nothings, and then Kyuubi said;

"So you hate me?"

Naruto was in the middle of throwing his empty cup at the trashcan and somehow in his surprise he managed to make it land on his head.

"What are you asking that for all of a sudden?" Naruto asked, as the cup fell off his head, leaving a bit of noodle in his hair.

Kyuubi shrugged, "don't you?"

Naruto put on a thoughtful scowl and Kyuubi raised an eyebrow at the fact that Naruto was actually putting thought into it…and tried to ignore the hilarity of a boy with ramen in his hair thinking seriously about anything.

"Ano…well, I hate what having you sealed inside of me made happen but…" Kyuubi looked at Naruto intently; this was not going where he expected.

"I killed your parents, don't forget." He said.

Naruto's scowl deepened. "Yeah…but…your chakra saved my life a lot, and you had to consciously give that to me. I don't know, it's hard for me to hate anyone… You hate _me _don't you?"

Kyuubi was still backtracking over Naruto's unexpected words and he said slowly. "No…I hate the jailer not the cell."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, I've always thought you were a funny kid. Lots of potential all such nonsense…"

"Oh."

Silence again, and Naruto finally noticed and picked the piece of ramen out of his hair, and then walked over and threw the styrofoam cup out.

"A-anyway…I promised Hinata I'd meet her tonight so I should go…"

Kyuubi winced at the thought of going through that physical hell again. "Uh…ok…"

"Is there a problem?"

"Nope. Go on and get your for-the-moment-love."

Naruto stuck his tongue out at Kyuubi and then scampered out of the apartment and on his way. Kyuubi waited several minutes before getting up and following him. He followed Naruto casually, a few blocks behind, and when Naruto arrived at Hinata's house he made himself comfortable in one of the higher branches of a tree, laying his coat over his face and dozing lightly. When Naruto came back out of the house several hours later, Kyuubi awoke and then went to beat him home.

"How'd it go?" Kyuubi asked, a few minutes after he arrived home as Naruto walked in the door.

Naruto blushed lightly. "Really well…"

Kyuubi gave him an ever-so-enthusiastic thumbs-up. "Way to go."

"Whatever…"

Naruto then went and got himself ramen, again, as Kyuubi flipped through an old manga of Naruto's he found under the bed, trying not to look at Naruto but unable to help but notice he looked pleased and lightly flushed as if a surge of heart-felt adrenaline had led to some physical manifestations…He wrinkled the nose at the thought. Two inexperienced humans messing around for the first time? Not his idea of a good time.

"So you two are together now?" Kyuubi asked.

Naruto nodded and beamed. "You know, I really think she's even better for me than Sakura…she doesn't hit me as much."

Kyuubi chuckled and continued flipping through the book. "That's one way humans and demons are similar…expression of affection through violence."

Naruto twitched, looking at Kyuubi warily. "How much violence?"

Kyuubi smirked. "I haven't slept with anyone yet who wasn't bleeding from at least four places afterwards."

Naruto gaped at Kyuubi in disgust as his ramen overcooked.

* * *

**I forgot this last time, but kawaicrimsonkitsune made me some AWESOME fanart, and you should all check it out on her deviantart page, which you can find by going to her profile here. It's the official illustration for this story, please check it out! As always, thanks for reading.**


	9. Nightmare

_Summer Wind  
__Chapter 9_

Kyuubi watched Naruto again, as he slept. Night time might have been boring, if the blonde didn't mumble and toss and turn in his sleep so much. And besides, Kyuubi had no issue with lying quietly for hours; he had a great deal of patience. It gave him time to think, especially tonight, after the conversation he and Naruto had had earlier, and the unexpected realization that had come out of it. Not hating Naruto had been something he had completely ignored.

Things were strange tonight though, for tonight Naruto lay still. Kyuubi watched him, curious, missing the usual child-like sleeping habits. Long minutes of absolute stillness later Naruto finally moved; he moaned softly and his face scrunched as if trying to avoid something… Kyuubi slid off the edge of his bed and sat cross-legged facing the blond, intrigued and…worried.

"What's wrong kit?" He asked softly.

Naruto whimpered again, and curled his knees up defensively. A light sweat was on his forehead, and he was pale. Kyuubi ran his gaze over Naruto's quivering form in worry, his stomach clenching with every moan Naruto made, with every frightened twitch of his body.

"Kit...you ok?"

His hand left his side before he could argue, resting on Naruto's shoulder, and the boy yelped and shrunk away. Kyuubi snapped back his hand, staring at Naruto as if stabbed. He looked at the child, feeling…strangely. His hand balled into a fist, shaking. Offended without a right he got back into bed, intending to leave Naruto to his own misery; he could ignore the whimpering easily enough. But the whining worsened and began shaping words.

"Please…please…"

Kyuubi huffed and rolled his eyes.

"No…"

He sat up and glared down at Naruto. "What the hell is it, kit?"

"Don't…don't leave me alone…"

"I thought you had friends?"

"Sasuke…"

"He's back already, what more do you want?"

Naruto hiccupped softly.

"Nothing more to say?"

Naruto sniffled and curled up tighter, small tears beading on his lashes. Kyuubi scowled down at him, and the soft crying did not stop. Sighing, Kyuubi dropped off the bed once again, his hand reaching for Naruto's shoulder slowly. Naruto twisted his shoulder to try and knock the fox's hand away again, but he tightened his grip.

"Come on kit; don't cry if you won't even let me comfort you."

"…Don't wanna be alone..."

"So I'm here."

"…don't leave…"

"I'm here, kit." He smiled ironically. "I couldn't leave if I wanted to."

Naruto calmed; his face relaxing with his body and finally he leaned into Kyuubi's touch, and Kyuubi shifted so he was lying down beside him, one hand firmly on the blonde's shoulder. He watched him, making sure he stayed still and calm as he slept. He watched him as the starry shadows shifted over his soft, young face that showed no signs of all the hardship he had faced. He watched him all night until the sun rose, and then left to shower before the boy awoke and found him watching.

**So, here it gets a little AU. In my story Sasuke has returned by undefined means, under the assumption that Itachi is dead and all was resolved, and things have settled back to 'normal' again. Thought you should have the bit of info in case anyone was confused. Just work with me, k? Also, because these chapters are so short I think I'll switch to a twice-weekly update (Monday/Friday). Yay or nay?**

**Sorry it was late. I'm sick this weekend…**


	10. In the Morning

_Summer Wind  
__Chapter 10_

Naruto woke up. He didn't even notice the sound of the shower this morning, already becoming numb to what it implied. He sat up cross-legged and stared drearily at the crumpled bed cover. He had opened his eyes feeling like someone should have been beside him, but of course, he was alone. He looked up at the shelf by his bed, where the picture of team seven sat, carefully kept clear of dust. He sighed.

It was six months since Sasuke had finally returned, but the raven-haired boy stayed holed up in his own house. Naruto called him every now and then. He never answered. Naruto knocked on his door whenever he happened to be walking close by. He never answered. Naruto once saw him getting groceries at the store, looking pale and sallow, and called to him. He didn't answer, and for some reason Naruto had found himself incapable of chasing after him.

That night he had dreamed of Sasuke, walking away, only his back visible to the lonely, blonde boy. He had called to him, again and again, and he had never answered. Hands had tried to hold him back and he had to scream and fight to keep them away from him. Eventually the dream had faded in a wash of warmth; a nice change to the usual end of his waking up cold and sweating at some ungodly hour. But still, he had woken up alone…although his bed seemed to be possessed of a comfortable warmth this morning that somehow settled his writhing stomach.

Kyuubi came out of the shower, and Naruto glanced up. Kyuubi had stopped in the doorway to the bathroom, steam escaping and billowing out behind him, his yellow eyes fixed on Naruto.

"Sleep well kit?"

Naruto blushed, for some reason. "It wasn't the best." And why did he tell the truth?

Kyuubi face didn't change, for the gaze all along had been full of worry. "And how are you doing now?"

Naruto shrugged, trying to dismiss the attention he had not meant to get. "Better than usual."

Kyuubi seemed pleased, and finally looked away, going over to the dresser and pulling open the drawer designated for only his clothing (of which he now had several outfits).

"You still intend to find a lover?" Naruto asked.

Kyuubi looked sideways at him as he pulled on a shirt. "It is starting to look hopeless isn't it?"

Naruto shrugged. "I don't really know anyone that fills your requirements."

"It's not like if you did you would say so."

Naruto smiled. "That's true too."

Kyuubi smirked. They ate breakfast in general, but not awkward, silence, and then they went out again. They walked down the streets with no real purpose, the dusty heat of summer beating on their shoulders, carried around to their faces by a lazy wind.

"So…you've actually been less volatile then I expected." Naruto said.

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"Well…you're Kyuubi…I expected you to be angry and mean…I mean, that's how you were any other time I talked to you…"

"For one thing I'm very weak now, so I have no place trying to be tougher than I currently am. And another, I was restless within you, compared to that this isn't so bad…I'm fairly content."

Naruto looked at Kyuubi incredulously but pressed the matter no further. Instead he brought up something else, flipping subjects happily in his badly-focused mind;

"You were wrong about Kurenai-sensei. She's not married."

"She will be. I didn't explain at the time, but it's not that she's married it's that she's found that one person I was talking about."

"Oh…I see I guess…how can you tell?"

"It's just a difference in her smell."

"How can you smell all this stuff?"

"I can't explain it. It's just how demons work…especially of my breed."

"Weird…"

"Not really."

Naruto was silent again, and Kyuubi watched him think with a small grin on his face. He let the boy keep up his silent reverie until his expression became more drawn. His gaze falling blankly on the street.

"What are you pondering so heavily kit?"

Naruto blushed, and tried to force some cheer into his face. "N-nothing…just the usual stuff."

Kyuubi face grew more serious. "Don't worry about him kit. That boy is horribly troubled."

Naruto looked away from Kyuubi. "Can we go home yet?"

"…Sure."

And so they went.

* * *

**Hey, so, I realized I haven't gotten much critical feedback (which, in the long run, is good) but if anyone has some constructive criticism I'd highly appreciate advice! Either way, keep reading! I love hearing from you all! **


	11. Passing Time

_Summer Wind  
__Chapter 11_

Time passed.

Life with Kyuubi became its own routine for Naruto. On mundane errands such as shopping Kyuubi accompanied him, getting his own necessities. They ate together at home, Kyuubi his raw foods and Naruto his ramen which Kyuubi often sneered at. Naruto went on missions and spent time with Hinata and his other friends often, but it soon became evident that Kyuubi was never far away. The fox demon would allude to things Naruto thought he had done out of Kyuubi's gaze, or sometimes Kyuubi would even meet him on the walk home. It was obvious Kyuubi's eyes never long left Naruto; either blatantly at home or from the background when Naruto was places where Kyuubi could not be with him, Kyuubi was always watching. And somehow, it didn't really bother him. After almost a month living that way Naruto became perfectly comfortable playing out his life under Kyuubi's watch.

Kyuubi still got an abundance of attention, but he took precautions to make sure no one ever saw him going to Naruto's apartment. It was fairly easy; people stared but never dared to follow him. Both he and Naruto knew there was much talk about him going around, wondering who he was. They were lucky everyone was generally too taken by Kyuubi to notice Naruto, but still they kept their errands short, so as not to bring attention to it, and tried not to make conversation too obviously. And though Naruto was unaware of it, Kyuubi also had several demonic mind-tricks to pull.

Tsunade was known to be on the look-out for him, trying to find a chance to figure out who he was. It was annoying, as it made it near impossible for Kyuubi to be out, because his mind-tricks would do little against someone of Tsunade's caliber, with his current power at any rate, and as the month wore on he could hardly stand it anymore.

Finally he just let her find him. In fact, he walked right up to her door one day when Naruto was doing chores for her. The blonde had stared at him in shock the entire time he had walked around the office, explaining in a most humble tone to Tsunade that he was a man who had been borne outside of any town and never been told of his own heritage before his parents were killed off. He explained with a completely somber expression, sitting down in front of her desk, that he was just looking for a place to live for some time until he could find the right track to finding out whom his parents were. Tsunade had been at a loss at what to do and finally told him that yes; it was fine for him to stay so long as he didn't cause any trouble and filled out some forms so that they would have records of him. Kyuubi agreed with a display of gratitude that, coming from him, left Naruto extremely disturbed, and then he left; carrying his officially sanctioned pass in his coat pocket. In his weakened state and the suddenness and strangeness with which he came to her, Tsunade never suspected a thing. He met Naruto on his way home only a few meters away from the building, still chuckling about the whole ordeal.

So time passed.

Days passed with Naruto and Kyuubi spending more time together, nights passed with Kyuubi watching Naruto, making sure he slept through the night soundly, and should a nightmare crawl its way in he would sit beside the boy with a hand on his shoulder or meshed with his fingers until he calmed again. He was always gone by the time Naruto awoke.

Their strange acquaintance with each other grew into a strange friendship, built on the surprisingly playful and humorous conversations they shared. It was the moments of clashing culture when Kyuubi would accuse Naruto of a fault he never knew he had, which somehow in showing how different they were made each appreciate the other more. There were long stretches of time when nothing was said and they lived as if the other hardly existed, and yet just that they were able to live in such a way brought them closer. And always there was Kyuubi's frustratingly inconsistent reactions to things. The way a single word from Naruto could make him snap and nearly strike the boy; topaz eyes ablaze as they glared at him, or laugh and look at him with what was almost tenderness, or fall entirely silent and sulk, pointedly looking everywhere but Naruto.

It was a strange thing, the friendship between these two, and it surprised and shocked both of them so much they became quickly numb to how strange a thing it was and merely shrugged and let an ironic destiny carry them along.

Naruto and Hinata also spent more time together, getting closer at dangerous speeds. Kyuubi watched them always with a wry smirk on his face. It was strange for him, after living inside Naruto for so long, experiencing his emotions first hand, to watch this huge step from the outside, but he made enjoyment out of it. It wasn't until he made the connection between this and the feelings of watching a child grow up and out of his shelter that he worried for his sanity.

And still time passed.

Then, as the one-month anniversary of Kyuubi's release passed, deep into the heart of summer, Sasuke came by. Naruto opened the door and gaped at him in shock. Kyuubi had gone out the window onto the ledge when he heard someone knocking and watched cautiously as the two boys reunited.

They stood facing each other across the door frame, and no words passed for a long time. The first thing spoken was Sasuke's apology. Naruto fell into his arms and they embraced for a long, long time. Hundreds of things were said after that. Questions and answers and more apologies, and finally Kyuubi went to the roof as he realized Sasuke was not leaving anytime soon.

He stared at the night sky, lying on his back wondering how Sasuke's sudden re-entry into Naruto's life would throw the young blond off-kilter. And he felt like it was going to violently affect his life as well, in ways he would have never expected.

Time would not pass so smoothly anymore...

* * *

**So, no dialogue this chapter. Very wordy, very factual. Kind of interlude between parts, after this quite a lot happens at once, I hope you keep reading. Also, I know have chapter titles! **


	12. Complications

_Summer Wind  
__Chapter 12_

"So…how'd everything go last night?" Kyuubi asked, that afternoon when he finally got to come back inside. Sasuke had been there until then.

Naruto was trembling with happiness as he practically danced around the kitchen making a late breakfast.

"We talked all night…it was amazing Kyuubi, _all night_, after how long he's been ignoring me. We settled everything!"

"Aren't you at all mad at him for ignoring you?"

"I was but…he's gone through so much shit these last few years, I can't be anymore."

"Fair enough...Your roof has a nice view."

"Doesn't it? Did you go up there?"

"Since you and Sasuke were using up the whole apartment, yeah."

Naruto just nodded and went on about Sasuke, rambling in his way which made it nearly impossible to understand him, even if Kyuubi had had any intent of listening. Kyuubi rolled his eyes and grabbed a piece of meat, sitting and glaring at the table. It was a long, incredibly annoying time before Naruto finally asked;

"Hey, you upset?"

Kyuubi said nothing. Naruto knitted his brow in confusion, for once _trying _to catch Kyuubi's eye instead of trying to slip from under his un-wavering stare.

"Kyuubi…what's up?"

Kyuubi stood abruptly, and all Naruto could see was his broad back. "Nothing, kit." He growled and then stalked over to the bed where he lounged staring angrily at the day; it was unfairly cruel how often Kyuubi took out his anger on the sky outside Naruto's window.

Naruto came over and sat on the edge of the bed. "It's really annoying when you do this."

"Do what?" Kyuubi spoke through his teeth.

"You're just suddenly mad at me…without any reason."

"I always have a reason, kit."

"Why don't you tell me?"

"…because it doesn't matter."

Naruto sighed in frustration but changed the subject. "Are you gonna want to go out at all today? Maybe you'll find someone…"

"I'm sick of going out. Sick of wandering through your damn town. I've seen every bland, disgusting face a million times over. I'm sick of it, Naruto. Sick of it."

Naruto leaned back slightly. Kyuubi's tone was strange…sharp but quiet, sliding through his teeth with a sense of pained restraint.

"Kyuubi…I'm sorry."

"You don't understand…I'm trying not to go completely crazy here. For a while just the difference between this and before was enough but now…now I need more. This has become no more than a tease of freedom."

Naruto dropped his gaze. "Kyuu…"

"And as if that's not enough! On top of everything else there's…"

Naruto glanced up, curious as to why Kyuubi had trailed off, and found Kyuubi staring at him again, breathing heavily, eyes deep pools of…of something Naruto had no time to read before Kyuubi had suddenly moved. Naruto didn't even register how the movement had ended until a long several seconds into the kiss.

Kyuubi had him lying across the bed, his powerful torso pressing on Naruto's almost as hard as the pressure with which Kyuubi had their mouths clamped. Naruto registered what was happening, froze for some time, and finally made a noise of protest and tried to squirm away. Kyuubi broke away from him instantly, face turned away again, shoulders shaking. Naruto sat panting, staring at Kyuubi, mind reeling…when his fingers fluttered over his mouth he realized the lip had been broken and he was bleeding lightly.

"Kyuubi…what the fuck?" he asked, trying not to yell, trying to stay calm.

Kyuubi turned to him again, sharply, as if the sound of Naruto saying his name had re-triggered his strange behavior. Naruto scrambled away until his back was pressing against the wall, and Kyuubi held his face a few inches away from Naruto's, eyes smoldering.

"I want you." He purred.

Naruto's breath stopped, he was completely frozen…and then he started trembling. "W-what?"

"I want you. It's very simple."

"I…I'm nothing like those people you described!"

"And yet I'm incredibly attracted to you."

"Kyuubi…I can't…I don't want…"

Kyuubi's eyes narrowed. "Why not?"

Naruto found himself caught in the stare, unable to look away, his breath coming shallow, his heart pounding, his hands shaking.

"Because you scare me."

Kyuubi smirked. "Oh do I? Come now, over a month together and you're still wary of me?"

Naruto nodded, feeling a tiny hint of relief now that Kyuubi's tone was turning playful. "I never know what to expect from you. There's no way to predict your actions."

"Doesn't that excite you at all?"

Naruto blushed. "Y-yes but…but I couldn't be your lover. I mean, with Hinata and everything…"

"It's incredibly rude to turn down such a request from a demon as powerful as myself." His tone was more serious again, though less intense. "You know that, don't you?"

"Still…I can't, Kyuubi. I don't live by the same rules as you; I can't just be someone's casual lover." The blush deepened. "Not even yours."

"So, gender isn't even an issue for you?" Kyuubi sounded completely ironic now, apparently accepting Naruto's refusal with an ease that seemed strange compared to the quick, angry reaction of only a few moments ago.

"Even I have to admit you're fucking hot Kyuubi." Naruto said, horribly embarrassed.

Kyuubi chuckled, and kissed Naruto softly, quickly, leaving the young boy all the redder.

"Kyuubi…"

"Sorry, couldn't help it…you're so cute." He leaned forward again.

"Kyuubi!"

"Yes?"

"You…you can't…"

"I can," Kyuubi snickered, Naruto gulped. "But I won't. Are you sure?"

Naruto shrunk away again. "I'm afraid you'd hurt me…I mean, you said…"

"I can be as rough or as gentle as you want."

"I…I don't want any…"

Kyuubi took a deep breath, and finally moved away. "Fine then."

Naruto sat where he was, shrunk into the back corner of his bed, watching Kyuubi as he leaned back against the wall at the other end of the bed, looking fairly calm about the entire situation. As happy as he was that Kyuubi wasn't offended, he was almost more at unease by this behavior…it felt like Kyuubi was holding back.

_It's probably for the best…_

Kyuubi stood up and left, not quickly or with anger, but with the definite sense that he wanted to be gone.


	13. Spontaneous

_Summer Wind  
__Chapter 13_

They didn't speak about what had happened that afternoon. Naruto occasionally wanted to, but he didn't even know what questions he wanted to ask, so he let Kyuubi continue as if nothing had happened.

For as much as he had gotten used to living under Kyuubi's watch Naruto now started feeling all the more awkward with the way Kyuubi actively avoided watching him. He missed being able to look up into those deep gold eyes whenever he happened to look over his shoulder. Occasionally, he would see Kyuubi staring at him as he had done before, but as soon as he met the gaze Kyuubi would turn away.

Though they both tried to keep things as normal as they had ever become between them, whenever the two of them were alone together the air between them was excruciatingly thick.

So Naruto spent almost every morning hour and half the night out with either Sasuke or Hinata. Besides, he wanted nothing more than to re-connect with Sasuke, and to further his connection with Hinata.

Hinata surprised him when they talked by being even more deeply thoughtful than he would have thought. She was also just as sweet and kind as anyone had ever told him she was. But as much as she entranced him, Sasuke took precedent, which he did feel guilty about, but after everything that had happened re-building and continuing their friendship from the breaking point was much more important, which Hinata accepted and encouraged with amazing support. It was perfectly understandable, his being more concerned with Sasuke, but something about it made him feel guilty…

"I mean, I'm totally right aren't I Kyuubi?" He asked, as he lay anxiously awake.

"Yes, Kit, you have no need to be worried. You just feel guilty for ignoring your girlfriend. Once you and Sasuke are all buddy-buddy again everything will be fine. Please get some sleep. You're bothering me."

"I guess you're right…"

After a few seconds of silence Kyuubi said thoughtfully. "I mean, unless there's more to how you feel about Sasuke?"

Naruto choked on his breath. "NO! Sasuke and I are friends! _Best_ friends!"

"So?"

"So it'd be weird!"

"You wanted to be with Sakura even when you and she were close…"

"Well…that's…that's totally different."

Kyuubi rolled his eyes at the night. "You know it's not, kit."

"It doesn't matter! I'm not interested in Sasuke that way! Good night Kyuubi!"

"Good night kit."

The last sound of the night was Kyuubi's faint chuckle and Naruto's frustrated 'hrmpf' as he turned to face away from the demon.

Naruto awoke the next morning to the surprise that Kyuubi was for once not in the shower. The fox demon instead lay on his side, watching Naruto as he slowly forced himself out of grogginess. It took Kyuubi longer to shift his gaze away this time, as his deep irises lingered over Naruto.

"Uh, morning Kyuubi." Naruto said, blushing and sitting up.

Kyuubi turned onto his back and stared at the ceiling. "You know…I was thinking."

"Oh no."

"If this whole situation is bothering you so much why don't you take a break?"

"Huh?"

Kyuubi turned back to him, the smile on his place so very bright it was incredibly un-nerving. "Let's go on vacation. To the land of waves or something, you'd like to visit that snow-kid's grave wouldn't you?"

"Umm sure…"

"We can stay with that builder's family."

Naruto was sure there was something wrong with this plan, and so began searching for the questions he knew should be asked. "Uh…but…what about missions?"

"After all you've done for this country you think you don't deserve some vacation time?"

"Well…yeah but…"

"Naruto. It's decided. Call Tsunade and those two lovers of yours,"

"Hey!"

"And let them know you need some time off."

"I…I can't just…"

"If you make me I _will_ do it myself. And won't they wonder why you can't tell them yourself? And why I ended up shacking with you of all people?"

"Alright! Alright! I'll call them! God!"

Kyuubi sat smugly on the bed as Naruto lugged the phone in the bathroom to make the calls in privacy.

Kyuubi was certain he should have felt more guilt about the fact that the spontaneous decision to go on vacation was mostly mercenary. Although he did think it would do Naruto some good to get away for a while, for the most part, it was Kyuubi's frustration with suddenly being so estranged from Naruto.

It was his own fault, he knew that. It had all been too much. For almost a month his frustrations had formed and mounted rapidly and it became obvious that his problem in finding a lover lay not in the inadequacy of the other ninja but that the one he wanted most was not among them, but at his side. He should have never have expressed his desires to Naruto, he knew the boy wouldn't handle it right, if there was a right way for a human to handle being courted by a demon. Still, he found himself missing the camaraderie they had formed during the time leading up to that, and this was the solution he arrived at after a long night of deliberation.

_How in the world did I manage that? _

* * *

**Now we're getting into my favorite parts! The vacation is really something I like a lot. Oh, and we're half-way through now. Going fast, isn't it?**


	14. Vacation Night

_Summer Wind  
Chapter 14_

They left immediately after Naruto had managed to make the arrangements. Kyuubi had packed for Naruto as he made the calls, and himself, of course, and when Naruto emerged from the bathroom he threw the duffle bag at him and held the door open with exaggerated graciousness.

"Geez, what are you in such a hurry for?" Naruto griped.

"These things are best done with as much spontaneity as possible." Kyuubi quipped in a terrifyingly bright tone and shoved Naruto out the door.

- - -

They arrived at the land of the waves by the end of a long day and Inari's family had a whole dinner prepared and waiting for him, as he had also called ahead to their place to make sure his sudden vacation was all right with them.

Inari had grown much taller, and was bulking up to be shaped like a serious man, although his smile was still as childish and goofy as ever. And his mother and the bridge builder, Tazuna, looked in exceptional health and age had not changed them so greatly as it had Inari. It seemed time's passage had been favorable for all parties.

They spent the requisite minute of gawking as Kyuubi stepped up to their doorway; hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Oh…oh my…" Inari's mother, Tsunami, stammered. "When you said you were coming with a friend I expected…I mean this is fine I just…"

Naruto laughed embarrassedly and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah this is…uh…"

"I'm Kira." Kyuubi cut in, stepping in front of Naruto, bowing his greeting.

Tsunami bowed back, trying to hide her girlish blush. "Welcome to our home."

Inari's mouth hung open, and Naruto noticed the slight change in posture that he knew Kyuubi made him wear as well; the pose of feeling utterly inferior. Trying to keep Inari's self-esteem from taking too much bruising Naruto energetically asked for Inari to take him out to the bridge so he could see it again.

Leaving Kyuubi with the adults Inari and Naruto went scampering through the streets as if they had never grown up since they first met. Kyuubi watched Naruto go with slight worry and was glad for Tsunami's request to be back soon that she called at their backs. As far as he remembered the bridge wasn't too far away…he should be able to manage it.

- - -

"So who _is _that?" Inari asked as they sat on the bridge railing. "He's…intense."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah…he is…"

"So?"

"Oh, we kind of met by accident. He wandered into Konoha and I just uh…came across him and he really needed a place to stay so…"

"Wow Naruto…you really make friends with everyone and anyone." Inari sounded both impressed and confused. "Isn't that ever dangerous for you?"

"Eh…hehe, sometimes. I can handle myself though! You know I can!"

"Heh, that's true."

"So, how's everything here?"

Inari beamed. "I've been taking care of everything! No one's come under any harm while I'm here!"

Naruto smiled back and gave him a thumbs-up. "Good job. I expected as much."

Inari chuckled proudly and rubbed a finger under his nose with feigned humility. "So why the sudden vacation?"

Naruto opened his mouth to explain it away, but then he sighed and said; "the truth is this was Kyu—Kira's idea."

Inari tilted his head quizzically. "Well, why'd he want to come here?"

"For me." Inari's face just became more befuddled. "I mean…I've just got this girlfriend now. I like her. A lot." Inari nodded and raised his eyebrows. "But right now I've also got Sasuke to worry about because well, I mean, he really needs me, but I don't want to ignore her but…uh…well anyway he just thought I could use a break."

Inari blinked several times slowly. "So…you've got a girlfriend now! Awesome!"

Naruto giggled. "Heh, yeah…she's really cute."

"Nice."

"Yeah…"

"So wait…how did Kira know about here?"

"Oh uh, he just suggested a vacation. I picked here."

"Oh cool. I'm glad you did."

"Yeah…"

"So you seem really distracted."

"Really? Sorry…just thinking about Kira I guess…"

"What about him?"

"I…don't know what to think about him. I always expect him to be mean or cold to me and then he'll be really nice, like out-of-his-way nice. Then in a second he'll get frustrated and stalk off and I don't even know what I did or _if_ I did anything. You know? He just confuses me so much…"

Naruto then noticed Inari leaning away from him looking at him with eyebrows knitted and crooked.

"What?" Naruto asked, surprised at his sudden reaction.

"You sound kind of like…uh…you like him."

"Well that's the thing! I don't know! Sometimes I think I should hate him and sometimes…sometimes…oh…you meant…"

Inari nodded slowly, Naruto blushed furiously.

"Well…I mean…do you?" Inari asked slowly.

"No! No I…don't."

Inari still watched Naruto warily.

"I mean, what if I did? Even though I don't."

"Uh…I dunno."

"Eh, it doesn't matter."

"Right. Because you have a girlfriend anyway." Inari seemed to say it to assure himself.

"Exactly." Naruto said with a nervous laugh.

Three seconds of awkward silence went by.

"You know even if you were gay I wouldn't mind. I mean, I didn't want to seem like I'm close-minded or like I'd think any less of you for something like that…I mean I know I came off kind of—"

"Never mind Inari. It doesn't matter."

Five more seconds of awkward silence passed.

"Because I'm not. I'm not, you know." Naruto said.

"Oh yeah, I know."

Two seconds.

"Let's go get some dinner huh?"

"Sounds good."

They walked home slowly at first but soon things picked up, and they tried conversation again and by the time they were home they had managed to kill all but the last seconds of awkward silence.

- - -

Naruto sat up late, sitting on the windowsill of the guest room staring out at the misty night as the cooler air blew the water residue in from the ocean. His window had a view of the infinite waters nearby, which looked as black as the inky sky above it. The only separation between water and sky was the ripples that slit the reflections of the stars and moon.

If only Naruto hadn't been so dense he might have been appreciative of the beauty of it.

Instead he sighed kicked the window frame in boredom. He couldn't sleep. Of course he couldn't, otherwise he wouldn't have been sitting up looking out on big mass of blackness with dots of white. As much as it surprised him, he was happy to hear his door slide open and the foot-falls of his visitor.

He turned to see Kyuubi, standing with the sleeping yukata Tazuna had given him falling a good foot too short and hanging loose around his waist, revealing the lean chest underneath.

"Lovely night, isn't it kit?" He said, as he reached Naruto and leaned against the window, folding his arms and staring out at the evening Naruto had just been ignoring.

"Oh, yeah I guess." Naruto replied, wondering why the moonlight that had seemed so un-spectacular a moment ago became glorious when reflected against Kyuubi's golden irises and bronze skin.

Kyuubi chuckled, his broad neck vibrating. "You're such a dumb little kid."

Naruto scowled and turned back towards the vista that was horribly boring especially when compared to the moon-lit cords of muscle on Kyuubi's poorly-covered body.

"That's not really news to you is it?" Naruto said sullenly.

Kyuubi chuckled again, the warm sound floating on the breeze and Naruto realized suddenly how accustomed to that sound he had become…how much it comforted him. An abrupt recognition of everything that had been building that summer. He tried to hide his blush in the shadows between shafts of moonlight.

"No." Kyuubi said, watching Naruto out of the corner of his eye. "I suppose it's not."

Naruto turned further away from Kyuubi, realizing by the chills down his spine that he was under that amber gaze again. "So what are you doing here? Couldn't you sleep either?"

"I don't sleep kit."

"Oh…what do you do at night?"

Kyuubi paused. "Nothing. I don't mind it."

"I thought you were sick of sitting around doing nothing?"

"…It's different."

Naruto turned towards him, trying to determine what he meant and if he should be worried. "So…anyway…"

"I just wanted to see how your day went."

"Um, well…it was interesting. Yours?"

Kyuubi shrugged. "I faked normal small-talk. My life gets more interesting as I flesh out the details."

"Really?" Naruto raised an eyebrow.

Kyuubi nodded somberly. "For instance; did you know I spent several years with a nomadic group that could use secret fire-based jutsu?"

Naruto smiled. "I had no clue."

"Oh yes. I almost married one of the girls but she changed her mind, had me disgraced and then threw me out of their clan."

Naruto snorted back his laughter, which was brought more by the idea of Kyuubi being involved in a dramatic romance than anything.

"You know, you could just make up some normal sort of story…"

Kyuubi scoffed. "Where's the fun in that?"

"Well, it's more believable."

"The point is that the least believable thing of all is the truth. So long as I don't go spreading that around I'm fine."

They laughed lightly and Kyuubi moved over so he was standing beside Naruto, his hand laying on his shoulder gently.

"Why do you do this Kyuubi?" Naruto asked.

"Do what, kit?"

"Treat me this way."

"What way?"

"As if…as if we're friends…as if—"

"I cared about you?"

Naruto nodded and looked away again.

"I do, Naruto."

The words made Naruto quiver. "How? Wha…?" He couldn't find the proper word, all he could convey was his confusion.

Kyuubi sighed and his grip tightened so Naruto was pressed against his chest. "Naruto, no matter what the circumstances around it I've watched you grow up. And I've helped you grow and mature far more than anyone else you've recognized. In a sense…I feel as though I've raised you."

Somewhere among getting lost in Kyuubi's words Naruto wondered why they were making his stomach knot so tightly.

"I always knew I should hate you," Kyuubi continued. "And for the first years I did but, Naruto, I lived everyday you did along side you. By the time you were five I had watched you cry and felt your sorrow so often I could only pity you…affection followed quickly and naturally." Kyuubi paused, wondering over Naruto's sudden absolute stillness, and how the words he spoke were entirely true but he hadn't realized them until now. "I'm sorry. This must be incredibly strange for you…and I shouldn't have come here…"

Naruto caught Kyuubi's hand as he started to leave. "Why did you? Really?"

Kyuubi smiled tenderly as Naruto looked up at him, large sky-blue eyes wide and overwhelmed with chaos of emotion.

"Because I missed you."

Their fingers wound together and Kyuubi came close to him again, leaning down to smell Naruto's hair.

"I'm glad you came…I was missing you too." Naruto spoke it without thinking or realizing it first, but now that the words were free he heard among their echo the truth of them as he leaned his forehead against Kyuubi's powerful shoulder.

Kyuubi tilted Naruto's head up with his free hand and kissed him gently, and this time Naruto kissed back, hesitant as it was. They let it linger, staying exactly as they were, lips together, hands entwined, gentle pressure neither clashing them together or letting them part. Finally Kyuubi pulled away and Naruto released a shuddering breath.

That was all they did. The one kiss and then Kyuubi entwined his arms around Naruto in an embrace and that was how they stayed; watching as the ocean and sky slowly separated into their own space, broken apart by the sunlight as Kyuubi and Naruto were by the sound of the waking family.

* * *

**Ok, I have a perfectly good excuse for the obnoxious lateness. For some reason fricking FF wouldn't let me upload all of yesterday! So annoying. I'm hoping the length of this chapter makes up for it. My birthday is tomorrow! And after that, another update!  
**


	15. Reverie

_Summer Wind  
Chapter 15_

Naruto scrambled up the hill, Kyuubi walked several steps behind with hands resting in his coat pockets, looking around at the serene surroundings as Naruto blazed ahead. A fox skittered onto the path. It stopped dead still to stare in reverence at Kyuubi, and then slowly continued his way. Kyuubi smiled slightly; at least the animals still realized his power.

"Come _on _Kyuubi." Naruto whined. "You're taking too long!"

Kyuubi rolled his eyes and walked no faster. Naruto rolled his eyes and doubled his pace.

Naruto reached the crest of the hill and finally he slowed down, looking ahead at the double grave, which still stood with quiet serenity. Naruto sighed and walked up to the graves, his chest weighing on him heavily as he stood before the wooden cross. His fingers gently touched the dried flowers that were draped around it, and he placed the fresh bundle in his hand on the small raised mound of dirt, almost completely over-grown and blended with the surrounding earth now, beneath the marker.

Naruto then took a single kunai, bound entirely in black cloth and placed it at the base of Zabuza's sword, and warrior's recognition requested by Kakashi when he had heard that Naruto was taking vacation there.

Kyuubi came up to his side, his hand finding its accustomed place firmly on Naruto's shoulder. Naruto leaned into the grip, so used to it by now he wasn't even surprised by Kyuubi's tenderness. Naruto sighed and looked over Haku's grave again. He hadn't expected how easily his resolve not to shed tears faltered.

"I'll look away if you have to cry." Kyuubi said, half-teasing.

Naruto laughed weakly. "It's ok."

"So you're not going to cry?"

"I don't mind if you see…"

Kyuubi looked down at him and tears were slowing breaking over his lashes as he bit his lip, turning sobs into hiccups with the last of his resolve. Kyuubi stared a moment longer and then shook his head and rubbed Naruto's arm, pinning him to his side firmly to stop the shaking of his shoulders.

"It's ok kit…"

"I just…I just wonder what would have happened if he hadn't died. I wonder if we could have…if we could have…I don't know. He deserved to live."

Kyuubi nodded silently; well aware of the millions of thoughts Naruto had had on this matter. How many nights when he couldn't sleep would he mull over how many happier ways him and this young boy could have met? All the different ways he and Haku might have been friends, how close could they have come?

"Did you love this one too, kit?"

"…I could have."

"You could have?" Kyuubi raised an eyebrow.

Naruto laughed again, the sound mottled through the re-kindled sorrow, and then looked back at the grave. "I did."

Kyuubi sobered and sighed again. "That's your greatest asset and your greatest flaw, kit. You love so easily."

"I can't help it." Naruto replied. "There are so many people worth loving."

"And it's that you believe that that makes you so vulnerable."

"I believe it because it's true."

Kyuubi fell silent, staring at Naruto, surprised that even after all their time together Naruto could say something like that and confuse him entirely. He really was the ninja most likely to surprise people. Humans made no sense in their willingness to love and forgive, even after so many of their kind proved be deceitful and cruel, but Naruto was above and beyond. Even though he had always known this strange quirk of humanity, only now did he feel at all impressed by and envious of having that ability.

They stayed only a short while longer before wordlessly heading out, both of them distracted by too many thoughts.

- - -

They and Inari's family spent the next several days together, while Naruto and Kyuubi stayed up late during the nights, talking and enjoying each others company far more than either would have ever expected. Which never ceased to unnerve Kyuubi.

"Kyuubi?" Naruto asked, the last night of vacation. "Can I ask you some questions?"

Kyuubi opened his half-closed eyes and looked down at the boy that was nestled against his side, curled between Kyuubi's firm flank and his strong, supporting arm.

"Hn? What is it, kit?"

"Well…you asked me to be your lover."

"I did."

"And then you said you felt as though you have raised me?"

"I do."

"Well isn't that kind of, uh, weird?"

Kyuubi chuckled. "It actually makes perfect sense."

"…Ok…"

Kyuubi laughed, catching the bark and trying to keep it from being loud enough to disturb the sleeping family. "For demons, I mean." He corrected.

"How do you demons figure _that _as normal?"

"Er…this is probably strange to you but demons often take their children as lovers."

"…What?"

"To us it makes sense. We teach our children everything. How to walk, how to eat, how to hunt, how to fight…and how to love."

Naruto slowly sat up, gaping at Kyuubi. "And…and that's just normal?"

Kyuubi nodded. "Yes. I mean, seriously, demons get hundreds of lovers throughout their lifetime; of course we want our children to be prepared for that and we want to guide them through those first awkward stages. Can't you see how that makes sense?"

Naruto shook his head, still gawking.

"I wouldn't really expect you to. It's second-nature to us."

Naruto scowled at the bed. "And I thought your first nature was bad."

Kyuubi laughed at full volume, ignoring the fact that he might be waking his hosts. Naruto smiled sheepishly, and then let Kyuubi pull him back to his side.

"So, demons take human lovers?"

"Yes?"

"And you care about me…"

"Yes."

"Do demons ever fall in love with humans?"

Kyuubi went silent for a moment. "Not in my time. But I have heard stories about when there were more of our kind out here; but I don't think it was ever common practice."

"Why not?"

Kyuubi smiled. "We just…don't. It's not a good idea for us."

"Why?"

"Because demons are eternal, and humans and their love are fleeting. And because humans live in the moment, a single night means worlds more to them than it does to us…" Kyuubi sighed. "In the end, someone gets their heart broken. And it was even worse for us because we can't move on with the next beautiful person who comes our way like your kind can."

Naruto closed his eyes, sinking into the warmth of the blankets. "I never expected demon's to be so emotional and love-driven."

"We're not. I already explained that to you. Very rarely do we get so emotional, only one person ever gets us that way. You just keep asking about those situations. Now, if you want to here about our wars and torture methods and the hundreds of broken hearts I can tell you those stories too."

Naruto had been feeling sleep tugging at him for some time, and his voice was distant and drowsy as he murmured; "No thanks…I'd rather believe you to be a puppy dog than a wolf…"

"Well, I'm neither. I'm a fox."

Naruto laughed although he had already fallen asleep. Kyuubi ran a hand along Naruto's arm and whispered softly;

"Only you could turn me into a puppy, Naruto."


	16. Impending Future

_Summer Wind  
Chapter 16_

Kyuubi watched Naruto sleep, curled up beside him, sleeping blissfully and with his face etched in its usual goofy expression that gave Kyuubi the same feeling as being on a sugar binge.

The last few days had been excruciatingly wonderful. Six days of relaxation with Naruto splitting his attention from Kyuubi only to invite Inari on their walks, but never entirely excluding Kyuubi from anything. And the nights…oh the nights. Naruto and he had spent every night lying together in the conveniently cramped bed, talking or merely enjoying the ocean air that drifted over them through the cracked window.

After Naruto fell asleep Kyuubi would stay awake, breathing in his scent, gently running his hands over his shoulders and back, wishing he could treat him as tenderly while he was awake, but knowing how fragile their relationship was, and with no clue where it would go if it teetered off the edge either direction and he was far too afraid of all the likely destinations.

And how could he be so scared to lose this one young boy? It was true what he told Naruto; he had without any intentions started thinking about him as a kind of adoptive child, which he had never noticed until he had been half-released from his prison within Naruto. Still, he was becoming overly dependant on having Naruto nearby, not just for his physical health but because it was the only way he found himself content.

And how long could that last? This situation could only stand still for so long. After they returned home Naruto would continue on his confusing and muddled life, his normal human life. In which Kyuubi had only one small part and that was as a strange and dangerous curse, nothing more. Naruto had a life to live, and Kyuubi had very few paths that would keep him in it, but if he left it he would literally die. Besides that, he had no desire to leave Naruto's life, or become more inactive in it. He entirely enjoyed being so prominent, and in such a close position to Naruto; he had no desire to leave him.

And all of that disturbed him greatly.

* * *

**Short chapter again! I'm pretty sure this is the last one. The rest are a good length. I hope you enjoy!!**


	17. Changes

_Summer Wind_  
_Chapter 17_

Naruto dropped his duffle bag heavily onto the floor, and followed it shortly, letting out a heavy sigh of relaxation as they ended their walk home. Kyuubi smiled and grabbed one of his slabs of meat and then a cup-ramen out of the cabinet, which he prepared for Naruto as the young boy changed out of his orange jumpsuit in favor of his sleeping ensemble.

Kyuubi handed him his ramen when he was finished, and Naruto gave him a brief look of surprise over the fact that he had bothered to do something thoughtful for him, but then he happily gobbled it down. Kyuubi's smile widened and he sat beside him, ruffling Naruto's hair as he did, granting him a brief grin from the blonde.

They sat eating dinner together; chatting briefly to make their usual witty or stupid remarks respectively, both making the other laugh. Life together came so easily now it almost went so far as too un-nerve Naruto—but it was so natural it could cause no un-ease.

Kyuubi climbed into bed after that, and as he was half-way through sliding under the covers they both paused. They had spent all their nights on vacation sleeping together with great comfort…they knew it had been an enjoyable experience for both of them, but now that they were back home how were they planning to sleep?

"Let's not pretend like we adhere to expectations or standards." Kyuubi said with a smirk and then patted the bed beside him incitingly, and Naruto in turn beamed brightly and jumped into the bed, tumbling over himself and into Kyuubi. The demon gathered him into his arms, holding him tightly, jealously, and rubbed his face into the curve of the boy's neck.

"God, you smell amazing." Kyuubi said, making Naruto blush.

Feigning an attempt to get away Naruto said; "If you're going to make me embarrassed then I'd rather sleep alone…"

"No!" Kyuubi snapped immediately, holding Naruto all the tighter. "You're not leaving me so long as I have any right to hold you."

Stronger embarrassment settled in then and Naruto lay still, letting Kyuubi hold him as tight as he would, leaning against his chest for the firm comfort it gave. Kyuubi recognized the reasons behind the un-characteristic stillness but cared not and relished another night that Naruto was still nearby for.

- - -

Their life stood still not much longer, for five days later Naruto went over to Sasuke's. Sasuke's home was close enough that Kyuubi could stay home when he was there, but Naruto had not missed the strange look Kyuubi has given him as he left—jealousy? No…there was no reason.

They were doing nothing special that day, merely hanging around doing nothing and letting the day wear itself out. They lay on the floor next to each other, staring at sun-spotted ceiling. They didn't talk much now, now that everything that needed to be had been said. Sasuke was ever the strong, silent type, and he was one of the few people Naruto felt comfortable enough around the he had no need to be speaking constantly. It was such a slow-moving, calm summer day Naruto was not expecting the jolt he was about to receive.

"Hey…Naruto?" Sasuke said, looking over at him.

"Yeah?" Naruto asked blearily, his brain was moving slowly, even for him.

"How're things with you and Hinata?"

Naruto blushed. "Good." He said. He felt guilty about Hinata. The things he did with Kyuubi came naturally, as if they had always been so close, but still he had the impression he was being cruel to Hinata by doing them.

Sasuke seemed, if nothing else, relieved to hear the uncertainty in Naruto's voice. He sat up and leaned over Naruto, smiling. "Want to grab something to eat?"

Naruto grinned. "You have to ask?"

They walked to Sasuke's kitchen and Sasuke pulled a pan out of the cabinet to make ramen in. He indulged Naruto's tastes, but refused to stock the low-quality cup ramen he was so fond of. Naruto wandered around the kitchen as Sasuke slipped the noodles into the boiling water and started throwing in spices and some chopped vegetables.

"You should be ashamed of your cooking skills." Naruto said.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "See if I ever cook for you again."

"No! I didn't mean it!"

Sasuke laughed and then dished out the meal, giving Naruto twice as much as the average man should eat. They ate together, and more disturbingly, finished at the same time as Naruto hardly chewed his over-sized bites. They let the lazy pace carry them back to Sasuke's living room where they both sat heavily on the couch and then Naruto leaned over onto Sasuke's shoulder.

Naruto didn't notice the blush creeping up Sasuke's cheeks. "Get off me." he said.

In response Naruto fell forward so he was sprawled across Sasuke's lap, grinning mischievously.

"Don't do that." Sasuke said trying to shove him away half-heartedly.

"Do what?"

Sasuke's blush worsened and he looked away. "Look so damn cute…" He muttered so Naruto barely heard it and therefore denied hearing it.

"What?" He asked, sitting up and trying to look at Sasuke's face.

Sasuke turned to him, just as Naruto was leaning forward, and their faces collided in a nearly-nose-breaking sort of kiss.

_This has happened before. _Naruto thought desperately. _Just another stupid accident._

But this time, there was no moment of pulling away in disgust, no time when they realized what they were doing and horror sunk in. Sasuke pushed forward, adjusting it into a real kiss, his hands racing up Naruto's back to clutch his hair as Naruto was swept away by the intensity of it. It was just as powerful as any kiss for Kyuubi, just as intensely gut-knotting. It was fueled with every emotional moment since their last kiss, that stupid, accidental kiss in the classroom that Naruto would never have imagined would take them this far. All the rivalry and camaraderie and betrayal and renewal, all sealing them together and washing over them with such intensity Naruto felt as if he was being crushed. Finally they separated, and Sasuke looked at Naruto with a nervous, uncertain, questioning look, his coal-black eyes shining with passion and delicate love.

It was too much for Naruto. He jumped from the couch and ran home, leaving Sasuke to stare after him in confusion and fearing that he had ruined everything.

- - -

Naruto arrived home and didn't brake pace but ran straight from the entryway to the bathroom, within which he locked himself and collapsed to the floor.

Kyuubi looked up from his reading material and immediately followed Naruto's path, knocking on the door sharply and calling to the blonde.

"Go away!" Naruto shouted back. "I just want to be alone now."

"Kit, why? What happened?"

"Nothing! I don't wanna talk about it!"

"Nothing is indeed a difficult topic to discuss." Kyuubi said with a wry smile.

He heard Naruto choke back a laugh and then the scraping of the lock as Naruto undid the lock and slowly opened the door.

"How dare you make me laugh when I feel like shit?" Naruto said, scowling.

Kyuubi just reached out and pulled Naruto to his chest, holding him tenderly as he began to shake.

"What's wrong kit?"

"Sa-Sasuke…"

Kyuubi felt his spine turn to ice. His body going rigidly still as he felt the approaching reactions come rushing forward with terrifying momentum. "What about him?"

"He…he loves me."

Kyuubi closed his eyes and sighed slowly. "He told you so?"

Naruto nodded against Kyuubi's chest. "He kissed me."

Kyuubi forced down the spark of jealousy. Sighing again, he carried Naruto to the bed. He sat on the edge of the mattress with Naruto in his lap, cradled in his powerful arms.

"And why are you crying about being loved?" Kyuubi asked.

"It's hard…" Naruto whimpered.

"It is hard when you can't return someone's feelings…" Kyuubi said, hoping. But Naruto's silence after he said it un-nerved him and he dared push further. "Unless you do."

"I…I don't know."

Kyuubi forced himself to stay gentle, soft, instead hardening and freezing over like he wanted to do. "What's not to know kit? Do you love him or not?"

"Well…I…I do but I don't know if it's…like that."

Kyuubi bit his lip, knowing he couldn't be harsh with Naruto, but the indecision of his kind and especially the blonde in question drove Kyuubi to the brink. "How can you be so unsure?"

"How can love be so easy for you?"

At least he still had the strength to make a retort. "I never said it was easy. I just don't see how someone can be so uncertain of his own feelings."

"But I love both of them…"

"Yes but who means more to you? I know you humans have an infatuation with caring about everyone equally but in brutal honesty that's no more than a romantic idea. Someone will always stand above the rest. And if neither of them are that person then you have no business pretending they are."

"But I do love them."

"But they expect you to be their one and only don't they?"

"Well yes…"

"There's nothing more to it. Be absolutely straight-forward with yourself and figure out which means more."

Naruto fell silent, leaning against Kyuubi's strong body, staring distantly at the wall as if it might tell him the answer. Kyuubi said no more either, resting his face against Naruto's mop of yellow hair. He didn't know why this made him feel so unnerved. Things could very easily stay just as they were, Naruto would simply have a different partner. Just because he was with Hinata had not stopped Naruto from being affectionate with Kyuubi, why would Sasuke make him act any differently?

He tightened his grip on Naruto, afraid that he would be letting him go all too soon.


	18. It all comes Tumbling Down

_Summer Wind  
Chapter 18_

Naruto sat by the riverbank, several days later, staring at the rushing waters absently as he thought. He thought about Sasuke and Hinata and what life would be like with either of them, over and over until his head was filled with a splitting ache. Yet, when he sighed and stopped thinking so intently on it, his mind slipped away onto a different course altogether.

He found himself pondering Kyuubi, and his life as it had been with the demon out and about in it. He surprised himself as he thought lightly that it had been nice to live with someone, and he realized suddenly that he hadn't felt his usual bouts of loneliness in quite some time.

Naruto ran his hands through his hair, moaning softly, frustrated that even when he managed not to think about Hinata and Sasuke he was thinking about things equally or more confusing.

Soon he found himself unable to focus on the issue at hand, as he was entirely distracted by thoughts of how his life had gone for the past couple months. And mostly, how much he would hate to end it.

- - -

Kyuubi stood on the bridge, looking over at Naruto as the boy sat where he had been for the past several hours. The sun drifted towards the horizon, the dark gold orb lowering itself lazily below the ground, slowly turning away for night to set in. Kyuubi had stood on the bridge motionless, as people walked by and whispered about him, for hours now—ever within the near presence of the confused and frustrated boy below. This time, though, he hardly watched Naruto. His mind was troubled; there was darkness in the air. It worried him. It was far too familiar a feeling. He feared there was far more change than he had anticipated approaching.

- - -

Kyuubi arrived home a few minutes before Naruto, and was sitting by the windowsill already settled into a contemplative state by the time Naruto arrived. The boy kicked off his shoes with a sigh and pulled his jumper down to tie the top around his waist, leaving his torso covered only by a white tank top.

"Hey Kyuubi, what'd you do today?" He asked, pulling ramen out of the cupboard.

"Thought."

"…Yeah, me too."

Kyuubi smirked slightly. "I hope you didn't strain yourself."

Naruto stuck out his tongue and then pushed the cup ramen into the microwave. He stood watching the microwave radiate his meal, eyes unfocused. He felt Kyuubi staring at him, and only thought it was nice to be watched with such care.

"Naruto." Kyuubi said, as the blonde took his ramen out.

"Yeah?" Naruto asked, sitting at his table.

"I'm afraid that things may become…difficult, soon."

"They're not already?"

"Worse, I mean."

"Why?"

"I feel something coming."

"Like what? A person?"

"…Yes."

"Who are they?"

"Someone very powerful."

"Will they try to hurt me?"

"…I don't know."

"Hey." Naruto abandoned his ramen to walk over to the bed. "Are you scared?"

"No." Kyuubi replied, with enough confidence to convince one of them "Just a little worried you might be getting into some danger soon."

Naruto shrugged. "Nah, I'll be ok."

Kyuubi chuckled, a little weakly, and reached up to ruffle Naruto's hair. "That attitude will kill you one day."

"Well, it's saved my ass enough times that I think I can live with it finally doing me in."

Kyuubi rolled his eyes, and tugged Naruto into bed. Naruto immediately cuddled against his chest, letting out a sound of contentment.

"So." Kyuubi said into Naruto's hair. "What did you think about today?"

"Sasuke…and Hinata…"

"Did you make any monumental decisions?"

"Not really. I kept getting distracted."

"By what?"

"I dunno…Other thoughts."

"About what?"

His reply came in a shy whisper. "You."

Kyuubi became still, as his stomach and heart had a high-speed impact between his lungs, and his mind raced to the scene and tried to determine what had happened.

"What about me?" He said, stunned into a neutral tone.

"I just kept thinking about you. About how life has been with you."

Naruto looked up at Kyuubi, his hands gripping Kyuubi's shirt, his face frustratingly close to Kyuubi's. The fox demon's breathing was heavy, his stomach and groin hot.

"And how has life been with me?" He asked, his voice thick.

Naruto stared at him deeply for a moment before saying quietly; "wonderful" and kissing him.

Kyuubi pounced instantly, capturing Naruto's lips violently and sucking the flavor with intense ardor. He rolled him over, so he was on top of him, pressing him into the mattress, exploring his young body and mouth with eager hands and tongue. Naruto was at first paralyzed under the intensity, but then he slowly regained the ability to move and started to play back, his hands mirroring Kyuubi's, kissing back with as much passion as he could give.

"No."

Kyuubi's word came suddenly, his tone ragged and hard, he held Naruto firmly beneath him, but he pulled back several inches creating a horrible gap between them.

"Dammit…fuck…" Kyuubi hissed through his teeth. "No, I can't do this."

"Why not?" Naruto asked, his face scrunched in confusion. "I thought you wanted me."

"I do!" Kyuubi snapped, making Naruto flinch. "But I will not become part of your confused love-triangle! I refuse to be among those you can not decide or understand how much they mean to you!" His tone softened slightly, as he forced himself to remember the frailty of the human child. "Tell me honestly Naruto, do you care for me more those two friends of yours?" Naruto opened and shut his mouth helplessly. "Can you even say you care about me _as much_? If you had to choose between my life or one of theirs?"

"I couldn't—"

"Don't." Kyuubi bit his tongue back from snapping again. "Do not tell me you couldn't pick. They are your companions, your friends, Sasuke is as family to you. You would _never _pick your affliction over your salvation. For you must not forget that is what I am. I am the hell that those friends pulled you out of." Naruto looked away, his lip quivering. "As much as I would love…as much as I _long_ for you to think of me as fondly as them, you can not simply forget what I have caused in your life."

"I told you before. I don't hate you." Naruto said softly.

Kyuubi ran a hand down Naruto's face. "I know…I know…but you still must understand that I am a demon. I can never come before your own kind."

Naruto turned back to Kyuubi, sudden conviction in his eyes. "And if you can?"

"Can I?"

"…I don't know."

Kyuubi pushed his growl down into a sigh. "I can not deal with that indecision Naruto."

"I thought you wanted a lover? Why won't you just take me as that? Aren't I like your child? Don't you want to teach me?" He pushed himself up, and kissed Kyuubi again. "_Teach_ me."

Kyuubi shook with the effort of controlling himself. "I…I can not."

"Kyuubi, I _want_ you. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes…but you don't. I'm…I'm afraid you'll get too attached. That you'll care too much. I'll just cause you more trouble. Stick with Sasuke or Hinata, they can give you so much more."

"No. _You're _afraid of getting too attached. That you might care about me more than a big old scary demon should."

"You couldn't handle what you're asking for. It's not what you really want."

"What if it is, Kyuubi? How do you know it's not?"

"Because you have _no idea _what I would do to you." He ran his hand along Naruto's neck, sliding down his shoulder. "No idea what I would require of you." Naruto shuddered. "I can't." Kyuubi said, reminding himself as he pulled back his hand. "I can't. You need to pick one person, Naruto. One person to give that much of yourself to. And you should not even consider me. I would hurt you too much."

"How can I choose? I want you all…I care about you all so much…"

Kyuubi suddenly got off the bed, standing with his back to Naruto, his shoulders outlined in the silver light of the rising moon. "I will not be a part of that. Choose on your own, and do not think of me as an option."

He left before Naruto could protest any more, but the boy's throat was already stopped from making words by the struggle to fight back the tears. Tears that fell after he was restlessly asleep, after he had thought them controlled, and when he thought he was alone.


	19. Visitor

_Summer Wind  
Chapter 19_

The wind was cool, and helped to ease the heat coursing under Kyuubi's skin. His breathing was heavy, mixing with the breeze. He burned not only with the lingering passion but frustration and anger to no small extent. Oh how the human world irked him. Always there was something holding him back, restraining him, there was no freedom here, even as he seemed to have found the one thing that made him feel far more alive than he had in quite some time.

"Hello Kyuubi."

He jumped to his feet, teeth bared and hands lashing out, but his blow was deflected and he was met with an equally rough attack that sent him skidding across the roof, only barely managing to stay on his feet. Stunned by the powerful reaction before the use of his name, Kyuubi looked up with his face still twisted in a menacing snarl. It softened though, when he saw the creature standing there.

Tall and svelte, with downy raven hair falling to narrow hips in long, straight sheets past a sharp-featured silver-eyed face. Immaculate white robes were draped over the pale, lean body. When the newcomer saw that Kyuubi recognized him he glided over to him and wrapped his arms around Kyuubi's waist and kissed him deeply.

"Kirie…" Kyuubi breathed as their lips parted.

"Hello Kyuubi." He reiterated in a purr.

"What are you doing here?"

"Did you think we had ignored the sealing of one of our favorite children? No, we've been watching closely, waiting for that seal to weaken. It came much sooner than we expected."

"It's been a whole season since I broke out."

"We can not simply slip into this world without alerting its guardians, it took time to break past and find a way into this city unnoticed."

"Everyone notices your beauty Kirie."

Kirie chuckled. "Well, you know what I meant. We've missed you Kyuubi."

"Stop all that plural nonsense. Never-mind what the other lords think, speak for yourself only for once."

Kirie smiled. "Always so rebellious. Come, we have much to talk of."

Kirie started to pull Kyuubi away but the fox demon resisted, making Kirie look back at him with a small smirk.

"Oh yes, it's not entirely broken is it? No matter." Kirie opened Kyuubi's coat and bit his thumb so it bled, then he drew a quick symbol on Kyuubi's chest which warmed and glowed momentarily then relaxed into a dark stain. "That will allow you to be at a further distance for some time. Come now."

Kyuubi followed him then, and the two shadowy figures leapt from roof to roof, their feet making only the faintest of scuffles against the tiles, the rustle of their clothing blending easily with the wind. Kyuubi felt so released. Each step he expected to feel the tugging sensation that would pull him back to Naruto but his body remained light and he ran along effortlessly. He felt as though he could have run so far away he could never return to Naruto; and then came to the horrible realization that that might have been what it was coming to.

They stopped their run within the inner edge of the forest, standing under the branches of the great giant trees nearly as old as they, moonlight gliding between the branches to light the metallic irises of the demons' eyes.

"So, Kyuubi, you seem to be managing." Kirie said lightly, his silky voice stirring the stillness of the forest night.

"I've managed to control the boy so he makes things suitable for me, at least as much as they can be in my situation."

"Yes, he looked like a simple boy."

Kyuubi's gaze focused sharply. "You saw him?"

"Yes, I stopped by that little apartment on my way to you. Dingy place."

"Why did you do that?"

Kirie knitted his brow. "Why does it matter? I thought I would see the pathetic vessel that had kept one as grand as you sealed away, and unsealed you just as foolishly."

Kyuubi teeth ground against each other. "It was unnecessary."

"I suppose…at any rate, I have something very important to tell you."

"Yes?"

"We want to bring you home…my apologies, _I _want to bring you home."

Kyuubi was still, and silent; staring at Kirie in shock, until finally his hands began to tremble.

"You mean…?"

"Yes. You have served your term among these pitiful creatures; we will take you back with open arms now."

"But I am still bound—"

"We may have had some trouble with the seal at full strength but now it is no great matter for the lords to undo it."

"How? That seal—"

"Will not allow you to do any harm to the bearer. I, however, am bound by no such rule. I need only eliminate the boy and you will be free."

The wind seemed to turn instantly cold, his body to ice. His eyes were wide as he stared at the smirking face of Kirie, looking so anticipative of the coming kill.

"Is…is that the only way?"

Kirie's face became perplexed. "Well, no, I could also merely perform a channeling spell to remove the rest of your chakra from him but—"

"Then that's what I want you to do."

Kirie took a step forward. "Kyuubi, why do you care about the life of this boy?"

"He has been my only companion for these last sixteen years—"

"A relatively short time, Kyuubi."

"But still time, Kirie. I admit I've become fond of him."

Kirie raised his thin eyebrows. "Is that so?"

"It is."

Kirie barked a laugh, a high, sharp sound that pierced through the night like a razor. "I see! Sixteen years is time indeed for it to have changed you so much."

Kyuubi scowled at him. "I am not so changed…"

"Kyuubi! The fiercest and most cruel of the nine princes! Fond of his prison?" Kirie's voice was not so much laughing as icy, but he continued his mirthful facade. "I thought I'd never see the day you were even truly fond of even a demon, but _this? _This is too much!"

"You had a human lover once Kirie."

"But I was not _fond_ of her! She was merely lovely and tasted pleasant! Is this boy your lover, then?"

"He is not."

"So you are merely fond of him? Oh, Kyuubi we had best get you back home quickly before you melt into honey!"

Kyuubi then grabbed Kirie's shoulders roughly and slammed him into the nearby tree, pressing him aggressively against the ragged wood, causing the bark to buckle and snap.

"Enough of your poor humor, Kirie."

Kirie's eyes glinted with the fire of a challenge and a wash of lust. "This is better. But Kyuubi remember, you are only a prince at a third of your usual power and I am a lord."

"Shut up. I care not for your status and supposed power. Sixteen years have been long, and I have found no release for my frustrations in some time. You should not test me now. I will not restrain from releasing all the power I have on you."

Kirie slid his gaze down Kyuubi's torso. "I can think of a few ways I'd like you to vent your frustration."

Kyuubi leapt on him then, their mouths colliding violently, tongues and teeth creating a vicious duel as their clawed hands pulled and slid clothing off each others bodies. Kirie's pale skin shone, though mottled by scars and large, swirling tattoos over much of his torso and arms, and Kyuubi's darker hands exploited the lean body roughly. The howls of their inhuman passion echoed through the streets of Konoha, and those awake shivered and wondered what darkness lingered outside the gates, and those sleeping tossed in their beds as the eerie sounds bred nightmares in their minds.

- - -

Kyuubi lay awake as sunrise washed over the forest, Kirie lying against his chest, breathing evenly with rest after being thoroughly exhausted by Kyuubi the night before. Kyuubi's fingers twirled Kirie's long hair absently, mind everywhere but the man beside him.

"That was nice, Kyuubi." Kirie murmured. "But I do not believe your heart was entirely in it."

Kyuubi said nothing, merely pulled his arm away from Kirie and got to his feet, grabbing his clothing and re-assembling his outfit.

"Are you in love then, Kyuubi?" Kirie asked, his voice soft, wilted.

Kyuubi pulled his coat on and snapped the collar, his back to Kirie. The tattooed demon sat up, his hair tumbling over his sleek shoulder.

"You do not have to return home, you know. If you wish, you can take this boy as your mate, and when he eventually dies, you might find your own way back."

There was silence from both of them, yellow sunlight caressing their bodies and the thick air between them.

"Give me a week." Kyuubi finally said. "I will know by then."

"I must know by tomorrow night at midnight."

Kyuubi's shoulders tensed. "Why so soon?"

"That is all the time I can give you. I must either return you home then or not at all."

"Why are they always putting time limits on everything?"

"Your father was most firm about it."

"My father is a bastard that probably saw this coming."

"Probably...Do not curse the ways of your kind, Kyuubi, or you will find yourself cursed by them."

Kyuubi paused, mulling over the almost-hidden edge of venom in Kirie's voice, but knew he had no right to rebuke Kirie for it. "Will you come and unseal my power now?"

"Yes…why?"

"So I may spend a day with him without the ache to be released. It will be easier to make my decision that way."

Kirie stared at him, his expression confused and showing a small piece of that sharp edge. "Very well."

Kirie re-dressed as well, covering his black-and-white skin and they walked back to Konoha as the sun ascended.

* * *

**Ok, so about Kirie. He is OC, obviously, the name is pronounced Keer-ee-ay (as in pay) and I love him to death. Ironically, when you spell it Kyrie (I changed it so his name wouldn't resemble Kyuubi's as much) it means Christ in like, Latin or something. I did not know that when I named him. Originally he was only a plot device, but when I introduced him there was just so much **_**more **_**to him. I hope he goes over well.  
And I just wanted to tell you, from here it's almost entirely serious drama so be prepared for that.  
Much Love  
A.L. **


	20. Hope

_Summer Wind  
Chapter 21_

Naruto lay in bed, watching the sunrise. He had slept restlessly, waking every few hours; until he saw the sky growing lighter and supposed he might as well just stay awake. Kyuubi had not returned, and that made him nervous. He knew he had pushed the limits of their relationship too far, that he had broken something very delicate, and was afraid he could never piece it together again. Somewhere in his mind he knew Kyuubi couldn't leave without his chakra, but he had the aching suspicion Kyuubi would not want to stay much longer. He didn't know if he could handle that. If Kyuubi left he knew that it would leave far too deep a wound, pulling out the plugs to his loneliness Kyuubi had created.

There was a knock on his door. He sort of fell out of his bed, and then trudged to the door. Even as he took a long, precious time to get there whoever it was never knocked again. Even though he knew Kyuubi would never knock, he hoped it might be him, crossing his fingers and wishing desperately for Kyuubi to be there.

He opened the door slowly, and blinked in surprise when he saw Hinata standing there, wearing a light sundress instead of her usual hoodie—apparently the summer heat had finally got to her. She fidgeted shyly, fingers wringing her skirt and then said softly;

"Can I come in?"

Naruto nodded and let her step past him into his apartment. He found himself very grateful to Kyuubi for keeping the place tidy. After Hinata's beautiful house and gardens this place was embarrassing enough as it was.

"So, ano, what are you doing here Hinata? I didn't think—"

She blushed. "I just, um, wanted to talk to you."

Naruto hung his head embarrassedly, ashamed with himself for ignoring her so much. "Yeah, I'm sorry. I've just been really down lately."

Her eyes immediately filled with worry. "Why?"

"Well…Sasuke and I…we kind of…got in a fight."

"What about?"

"Nothing really."

"Oh…"

"Do you want something to eat?"

Hinata shook her head, her hair fluttering over her pale, round cheeks.

"Do you wanna sit down?"

"Sure…sorry it's so early."

Naruto only then realized it was a rather strange time for a visit, and came to the decision that she must not have been able to sleep either. But he shook his head and told her it was fine. Naruto led her by the hand to his bed where they sat facing each other. Naruto kept his hand on hers, his lightly tanned skin looking extremely dark against her white skin.

"Hinata, are you ok?"

"Do you still love me?" She blurted it out loud and fast, the only way she could ever say something serious. And, as always, afterwards she looked as if she was about to cry.

Naruto sat dumbly, blinking slowly and trying to figure out how he needed to reply. He moved so both his hands were cradling hers.

"Hinata…of course I do. Why?"

"I just…I just thought maybe since you were avoiding me…" He lower lip quivered.

"Hinata! I'm not avoiding _you_! I'm avoiding Sasuke!"

She suddenly calmed, and looked at Naruto as if coming to a great understanding. "Would you…say that again?"

"I'm…avoiding Sasuke."

A small smile twitched her mouth. "You say his name so differently."

"I do?"

Hinata nodded. "He really means the world to you doesn't he?"

Naruto blushed and looked away. "We've…we've through a lot."

"I don't mean that much to you do I?" She had never sounded so calm, so sure of herself.

Naruto looked at her again, eyes wide with apology and a request for forgiveness. "I do love you, Hinata."

She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "I know. Thank you for loving me Naruto. I appreciate it so much. You have no idea how much it has always meant for me to hear you say those words, but now—I guess I see that it was always meant a different way."

"Hinata, I'm so sorry, you said I'm the person most important to you I feel terrible that—"

She put her fingers to his lips. "Don't worry. I've never felt so certain of anything. I know this is right."

Naruto smiled, there was a pause, and then he suddenly grabbed Hinata and pulled her into a tight hug making her squeal in surprise as he cuddled her.

"Thank you, Hinata, thank you so much. I know our relationship wasn't everything you wanted it to be, but you've really helped me. You're the best girl in the whole world, thanks for knocking me straight…er…well…"

Hinata blushed furiously and giggled, throwing her arms around Naruto's neck and returning the hug. They laughed together a bit, and then they shared some ramen and talked, admitting things to each other they had been too scared to bring up during the relationship. Things like the fact that Naruto had never intended to slip his hand under her shirt but had accidentally snagged it on his way to reach for the light. The fact that Hinata had not eaten anything and scrubbed her mouth clean fifty times the first day he came over. And as they talked Naruto didn't entirely forget about the argument with Kyuubi, but it didn't feel so bad. Naruto had thought they had had a good relationship, if they had both been a little shy, but now as Hinata frantically tried to hide the fact that their last bout of laughter had shot ramen straight out her nose and Naruto fell howling to the floor, he saw that this was how things were supposed to be. Perhaps, even if Kyuubi left him, his loneliness could remain plugged after-all.


	21. Unbound

_Summer Wind  
Chapter 20_

Hinata left not long into the morning, as she had a mission that afternoon, and barely a moment after she had left did Kyuubi walk in.

Naruto looked up at Kyuubi and tried to stop from letting his utter joy show on his face. Kyuubi's fiery hair was a mess and his coat was rumpled. Naruto wondered where he had gone that night, and what the nearly faded symbol on his chest was, but said nothing, merely looked at Kyuubi questioningly.

"I have to talk to you." Kyuubi said, stepping inside and going to the bed, where he sat heavily and gestured for Naruto to come sit beside him as well, which the boy did obligingly.

"What is it?" Naruto asked, sounding vaguely worried.

"I had a visitor last night…" Kyuubi told Naruto of the circumstances. That he had the chance to go home the next night, and what that required.

"Do I need to go get that scroll again? That'll be hard…"

"No, Kirie can do it."

"And…if I release your power, you'll just be going directly back to your home world?"

"Yes. I will do nothing more here."

"All right."

Naruto's blind trust in Kyuubi's honesty made Kyuubi smile despite himself. It was so true to Naruto's character.

"I would like to do the un-sealing today, and spend tomorrow as a last day with you."

Naruto looked up at Kyuubi with wide, childishly surprised eyes. "huh?"

"I…I have…enjoyed myself, living with you these past several months. I was hoping we could forget everything awkward between us and spend one more day just…together."

Naruto nodded mutely, and Kyuubi smiled then rose to get Kirie from where he waited. Naruto sat where he was, letting his breakfast become cold.

One last day. There was a time when one day at all with Kyuubi actively present would have terrified and disgusted him. Now he found himself in shock and distressed by the thought that he would never have one again. In a kind of re-booting process Naruto thought over the last few months. When he had found that jutsu never would he have imagined such results, and had he imagined them he never thought he would be thankful for finding it. He reminisced over the trauma of the first few days of Kyuubi living with him, and how Kyuubi had revealed himself to be surprisingly tender and how their relationship had grown so strangely and quickly. He came to the realization of just how much Kyuubi had taken care of him. Kyuubi had been the cause of much of his childhood depression it was true; but the work he did in healing him was so much more incredible.

And what would he do without it?

Just that morning he had been afraid he would never see Kyuubi again, and then when Kyuubi returned such relief and happiness flooded him he had almost cried out in joy. And now it came full circle, as he was smothered again by the thought of Kyuubi leaving—no, the _fact_that Kyuubi _was _leaving.

The door opened again and Kyuubi led a tall and imposing figure into the apartment, and Naruto thought for the second time that morning that his apartment was really a disgraceful mess. He was almost ashamed to let such a regal being set foot in it.

Then they made eye-contact. Naruto knew hatred, but never of such intensity. The pale demon's face was impassive, but as his eyes lingered on Naruto's the boy was overwhelmed with the sensation of being judged and despised. He dropped his gaze and hoped Kirie would not stay long.

Kirie told Kyuubi and Naruto to lie on the floor with their shirts off and they did so, and Kirie bit his thumb open again and wrote a circle of demonic symbols around the two of them, and then covered their chests with similar markings, finally drawing two very slightly different symbols on their stomachs. He then pulled his robe of his shoulder, letting it hang around his waist, revealing his lean tattooed torso on the sternum of which he wrote another symbol and then kneeled between Naruto and Kyuubi, a palm on each of their stomachs.

He did not warn Naruto of the pain he would feel as the chakra ripped from his stomach and flowed up Kirie's arms, to swirl and then settle along the pattern of his tattoos, making them glow red as more and more of the demonic chakra poured out from Naruto, leaving white hot pain in its place. Naruto bit his lips till they bled, and held back his agonized screams. Finally the chakra stopped flowing from him, and instead remained stuck along the tattoos, swirling and burning as Naruto's ears stopped ringing enough to hear Kirie muttering and hissing long, dark words. His vision was blurry as he looked over at Kyuubi, and found the fox demon staring at him with worry, and he gave a weak smile to assure him that he was fine, at which Kyuubi gave a crooked smirk and closed his eyes. Then the chakra began migrating towards Kirie's other shoulder and down his arm, pooling over Kyuubi's stomach and then sinking in. Naruto heard Kyuubi's teeth grinding against each other, and his nails sunk into the wood of the floor and Kirie's words came faster, his voice becoming hoarser, as his tattoos slowly settled back to black. The last bit of chakra slipped out of his fingertips and into Kyuubi and with a flash of red light the symbols disappeared and Kirie's hands snapped away from both of them, and they gasped for the breath they had never intended to hold.

Kirie stood then as Kyuubi sat up, panting, and Naruto rolled onto his stomach.

"It's done." Kirie said. "I'll see you tomorrow at midnight Kyuubi."

His gaze shot sharply at Naruto again, making him tremble, and then lingered over Kyuubi. Then he left.

As the door closed behind Kirie, Kyuubi asked; "how are you Kit?"

"Ugh, I feel weak, what about you?"

Kyuubi chuckled. "Better than I have in a long time. It took all the will I had not to go back to my fox form."

"So, is that like your real form?"

"Demons have no one real form. Just ones that incorporate their power better or less."

"Huh. Still so much random shit to learn."

"You'd never learn it all…even if we had time."

There was a moment of silence, as they both acknowledged the sentiment behind that and then Naruto muttered that he needed food and got to his feet and wandered over to the kitchen.


	22. The Last Night

_Summer Wind  
Chapter 21_

Night fell. Naruto had napped and eaten throughout most of the day and Kyuubi had gone for a run to expend some of his overflowing energy. As much as they both wanted to spend time together, Naruto was too exhausted, and Kyuubi was shaking with power. Now Kyuubi had returned, and Naruto slept soundly in his bed, curled up as he always was. Kyuubi slid in beside him, supporting himself on one arm to look down at the childish face.

He had watched Naruto sleep so often, it struck him painfully to think it was possibly the last night he would ever do such. He had thought often, during the nights he watched Naruto, but never had he had so much to think about.

His time with Naruto had been short, but so wonderful equaled in content what Kyuubi spent hundreds of years creating. Never had anything been so powerful.

He had goaded Naruto to take the scroll, and although Naruto could not hear his voice directly in such a way, the influence added to his usual curiosity had made things easy. He had thoroughly expected to come out and pick up where he had left off, laying ruin to the world, but then Naruto had botched it up, which he should have expected, and everything was turned upside-down. Perhaps it was because they were still connected, or just because of the previous sixteen years, but when he had taken form in that dingy little apartment and seen Naruto passed out on his bed all the hate and resentment had been drained from him and was replaced with pity for Naruto's predicament. He had watched him that night too, taking the boy in from the new angle with hesitation, thrown by the strange feelings he had in no way expected. He fought with himself. All his expectations and pre-meditated rage versus the unexpected pity and even tenderness he felt towards the child. Finally, he had gone to take a shower.

The rest was written in the summer wind.

Too much had happened. Kyuubi had been so un-prepared for the way his and Naruto's relationship went that it had swept him up and plunged him over the falls, where it pounded on him until he could finally struggle free and swim up for breath. And now there were two shores to swim to, two endings for this strange and life-twisting encounter that had started one night on what he had expected to be no more than the usual fit of rage.

Naruto moaned in his sleep and shifted, his face scrunched in frustration…a bit of fear…an approaching nightmare. Kyuubi put his arm around Naruto and held him close, shushing him gently until the whimpering stopped and he slept in comfort again.

"I know what I want kit." Kyuubi whispered, his grasp tightening. "It's up to you…."

* * *

**This chapter has the sentence that gave me the name for this story. It went through two working titles before this. Those being "Loving Without a Heart" from when I thought this story would focus more on the unlikely-ness of Kyuubi's affection, and "Frozen Over" which was suggested to me by a member of a forum I'm on in regards to the whole "when hell freezes over" thing which applies to this relationship and plays off the whole demon factor. Anyway, I wrote that sentence and it tied up this story so beautifully, with all the breezes that go through it and the whole point of it being over summer, I just loved it. It has more melody to it too…Ok, this has been a ridiculously long A/N. See you Friday!**

**And Oh yeah, Friday's the last update, my bad about previous confusion. Hope to see you. **

**A.L.**


	23. Decision

_Summer Wind  
Chapter 23_

Naruto woke to the sound of the shower, and reveled in the comfort of it, before the reality of the day sunk in. He felt heavy as got out of bed. He made miso and egg, a rare break from his usual meal, and was half-way done with it as Kyuubi got out of the shower.

"Morning kit." Kyuubi said, patting his head before reaching into the fridge and pulling out some eggs.

"Morning." Naruto mumbled. "So…um…what do you want to do today?"

Kyuubi shrugged as he swallowed an egg. "Nothing. I want to let the day lead us and see where we land."

"Sounds good."

They finished breakfast in silence. Naruto purposefully not looking at Kyuubi and Kyuubi unable to stop staring at Naruto.

They went out after that. They wandered town, wordlessly, looking in windows and watching the people walking by. Kyuubi's hand occasionally grabbed Naruto's shoulder to steer him down a street he wanted to see, but they touched little besides that. Finally, after several hours Naruto asked if they could stop for lunch and Kyuubi encouraged him to go to Ichiraku where they sat in the only open seats, ironically the ones they had sat in the first time there. Naruto ordered his usual, and Kyuubi ordered pork with the meat as rare as possible. When it arrived Naruto gobbled it with less vigor than usual and Kyuubi ate the meat with a scowl.

"Not rare enough…"

"Well you didn't specify raw."

Kyuubi shrugged. "The stuff has grown on me anyway…"

"Heh, the stuff I have at home grows _in _you."

Kyuubi snorted into the bowl as he drank the broth, causing it to splatter across his forehead and into his mess of fiery hair. Naruto burst out laughing, hysterically, making a mess of his own meal and he spluttered out some of his latest bite that he hadn't swallowed thoroughly yet. He and Kyuubi sat laughing, making a spectacle of themselves and not giving a damn, afraid that if they stopped laughing the moment would be lost and they would be almost apart again.

But it lingered, and as the day wore on they continued talking and joking with each other under a strongly enforced ruse that they were not about to be separated. They convinced each other until both entirely forgot and thought only about how nice a day it was, and how wonderful a time they were having.

They stopped at the park, and skipped rocks across the pond to scare the ducks away, then sat on the grassy hill and stared at the sky. They held hands. It came naturally as they sat together, Kyuubi didn't even think about it as he moved his hand to Naruto's, but the spark when their flesh touched was undeniable and they paused a moment before entwining fingers and going on as if nothing had happened.

"Man, how does Shikamaru do this all day?" Naruto moaned. "The sky is pretty damn boring after a while…"

Kyuubi chuckled. "Someday you're going to learn patience and even the sky will seem to move too fast."

"I hope that's the day I_die._" They were silent a moment and then Naruto asked; "So how does it feel, to have all your power back?"

Kyuubi laughed. "Amazing. God, I'm just itching to go on a rampage."

Naruto rolled his eyes and shoved Kyuubi: "You promised."

"Please?" Kyuubi whined, pouting. "Not even a little town?"

"No Kyuubi!" Naruto giggled, and then tried to turn it into a more manly sound, and failed. "Knock it off!"

"Yeah, yeah…I know…"

With a sigh they got to their feet and walked back to the apartment to the spectacle of the sunset, letting that one last thing distract them before they returned home and everything would become serious again. They waited outside the apartment building to watch the golden sunset fade, and then they went upstairs.

Kyuubi ate the last steak out of the fridge and Naruto ate more ramen, and then they sat together on the bed, Naruto entangled in Kyuubi's arms as the two of them curled into a corner together.

"So…" Naruto said, his voice strained. "You're leaving soon aren't you?"

"That depends on you." Kyuubi whispered into his hair.

It hadn't been the response he expected. "What do you mean?"

"If you want me to stay, I can stay."

Naruto felt his heart jolt. "Of course I want you to stay!"

"But…I can't, unless…"

"Unless what? What is it?"

"Naruto, the world that Kirie is from is my home too, and I do desire to return. However, above that, I want to stay with you." Naruto calmed slightly and leaned closer against him. "I love you Naruto," Naruto closed his eyes and gripped Kyuubi's arm tightly. "I want to be with you for as long as I can, but you need to make your choice. It's either me and we'll find a way for us to live together despite everything, or I can leave and you will continue your life just as—no, more normally than you ever did before. But I can't stay here if I'm not what you want first and foremost, I contradict everything else in your life, and I will not hold you back if that's what you'd rather pursue. Please choose Naruto, I'll go wherever you tell me."

Naruto was silent for a long time, and Kyuubi let him think. He had some hours left.

Naruto thought harder than he ever had in his life. He had spent all his life working up to being just like the other kids, to being normal and completely human. He had that chance now. And what was more, Sasuke was in that life. Sasuke had been so much, he had fought so hard for Sasuke and Sasuke needed him. And that kiss, that kiss that had held all the resolution of the past—and promise of the future. Sasuke was the world to him.

Or he had been.

His world had altered dramatically that summer. Everything was changed now and Kyuubi had made even him different. He looked at the world differently now. He forced himself to be brutally honest, to face the world and see it for what it was. Kyuubi had done so much for him, and what was more he was so very in love with him. Kyuubi, the most direct manifestation of 'demons within' he had ever encountered, had quelled the darkness within him and given him peace when usually he had nightmares, held him together when he usually would have fallen a little more apart, brought back pieces he had forgotten.

He could only do Kyuubi the justice of doing just as he had taught him. To look at the most painful and difficult choice he would ever make and make it solidly and to what he could see was right.

"Kyuubi," He finally said, a long time later. "I know you don't want me to be indecisive but please let me say this. Sasuke means so much to me, I've gone through so much with him and he and I have sacrificed for each other and changed each other in so many ways. But you have done so much for me too. You've given me the ability to reach my dreams—to become solid and whole. In separating from me you've…completed me. You have been one of my best friends, no matter what else I'll never again be able to think of you as anything less and I love you so much." Kyuubi held him tighter. "But the person who I will always hold above everyone else…is Sasuke."

Naruto said it firmly, finally, and Kyuubi broke. "I'm sorry…" He continued. "But since I met him I have known that, somewhere, inside me. I think humans know like demons do…we just don't understand."

"Don't be sorry, kit." Kyuubi said, into Naruto's hair, barely choking out the words, "I'm just glad you finally understand yourself. I'm so glad you know who you love. And besides…your life will be so much easier this way."

"There's no way you can stay?"

Kyuubi shook his head. "You don't need me. If I was meant to do anything for you it was teach you how to find him. And I helped you through all those times didn't I? I'm glad for that. I'm happy to go home."

"Are you sure I'm the one you love? There won't be anyone else?"

"There will never be anyone else."

There was a moment of silence, where Kyuubi's grip became minutely tighter, and then he let go and turned Naruto around so they were facing each other, sitting on the bed.

"Would you mind terribly if I said a few last things?" Kyuubi asked, and Naruto shook his head, meeting Kyuubi's gaze dead-on, their eyes didn't glance away from each other for a second. "You have changed me during this time, Naruto. I will never experience anything like this again, and I thank you so much for it. I was always meant to love you, whether so I could push you into Sasuke's arms or just so I could love you, for a short while, I don't care. I love you, and I got to spend a few precious months being incredibly close to you.

"I want you to know that my love for you and my memories of you will never fade. No matter what you go through or who hurts you I will always love you. If some night there is no one to hold you while you have a nightmare, know that I will be awake every night, thinking of you and loving you and wishing I were holding you." For one moment, Naruto thought Kyuubi would cry, but the demon's face remained dry, and he went on.

"And know that I wish you only the best, and hope for your happiness with all of what I have of a heart. Even when the memories of these days are not so clear, I hope you know clearly that I adore you. I love your indecisiveness and your ability to blindly hope and care and trust and love, and I hope that sky never moves too fast for you."

Naruto laughed, his voice weak as he trembled, his hands on Kyuubi's, his eyes misted and staring into Kyuubi's with as much love as he would ever give the fox demon. Kyuubi leaned forward and kissed him. It was gentle, chaste and lingering as Kyuubi pulled back and said with a broken voice;

"I have to go now."

Naruto could make no farewell, for his throat was stuck with choked tears, but his hand hovered on Kyuubi's as he left, and that was enough to let Kyuubi know that he would miss him, and that he promised with all his might not to let the memories fade, that he would never have nightmares again; that though it was not the most, he loved him dearly, and though he had to let Kyuubi go that night he would never let go of what was between them, and what he had learned and been given by it.


	24. Epilogue

_Summer Wind  
Epilogue_

A demon does two things but once in his extensive lifetime, and that is to love and to shed tears. The great fox demon Kyuubi did both after a single summer, and over one young human ninja. Those demons that witness these things, if any do, say nothing, for they either remember what they learned from their same moment, or think on what will bring them to such states. So Kirie watched his companion as they headed home—tears falling down Kyuubi's regal face, botching it with an almost exclusively human expression. Kirie mused over his own love, and doubted not that Kyuubi would be the one to bring sobs from his chest when the time came.

Kyuubi went home, and indeed his memory never faded. Every night he stayed up thinking of his love and loving him. The demon world had no seasons; it was always hot there, always as it had been when Kyuubi and Naruto had shared those incredible months together, an eternal reminder of an eternal memory.

Naruto and Sasuke were happy, bound together with the same conviction that they were each other's greatest joy. And though they stayed bright compared to others, as with all human memory the memories of that time with Kyuubi faded slightly, and Naruto would go for days without thinking on the demon that had once dwelled within and then with him.

But if ever his memory became too dull, summer would come around, and the warm wind would whisper in his ears the story that had been written upon it, and remind him of what he could not let go. And at least for the summer, the memories would become bright again, but come winter time they might again become dull. That was as Kyuubi wanted it, though, as was best—for the memories to not always be so strong, or else he was afraid he might interfere too greatly with Naruto's happiness, which forever came first in his mind.

When Naruto did think of his long-ago friend it was with fondness, and often sorrow, and always he missed him. Occasionally he could not fight his human instinct and doubted his choice, wondered what could have been. He wondered much, sometimes.

Kyuubi never wondered. He never faltered in his knowledge that he knew whom he loved most, never for a moment thought he could love anyone as much, although for the sake of Naruto, he went on living and sought some purpose. Kyuubi went on living for a long, long time with his memories always as clear and solid as his love.

Naruto lived to be everything he aspired, and remained, happily, with Sasuke always, and died one summer many years later, still believing that the sky moved far too slowly.

Fin

Dedicated to the summer

Written over summer 2007

**And now my last note to all of you. Summer Wind is my Pride and Joy Fanfiction. It's full of fluff, humor, drama and romance—everything I love. Naruto and Kyuubi make such a powerful couple, and I was so happy I was able to this how I wanted. **

**Not only is this my favorite fanfiction, one of my favorite writings of all time really, but for me it is a tribute to summer. I wrote over this summer, when I was making memories, and reflecting and that's what this story will always represent to me, and I hope you all will read it in love of summer memories as well. **

**It's been beautiful hearing from you all week after week, I can't begin to tell you how much appreciate all the love and support. I'm so happy people enjoyed this story, I hope the ending is satisfying, no matter what you were hoping for or expecting. **

**It's been a blast. Good night.**

**Angel Lucifel**


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